Hermione's Story: Many Ways of Growing
by Twigglet25
Summary: Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets from Hermione's point of view. The year when Hermione first begins to grow up from a child to a young lady and discovers the true meaning of discrimination.
1. Dear Summer

IMPORTANT: this is the second in the series of Hermione's story. if you're coming from 'from Humble beginings' Hello again! If you're new then welcome, and if you're interested please read this story from the beginning, if you just want to read her point of view of Chamber of Secrets then that's fine with me, I should warn you though, there way be quite a few things that are from the first story so don't make sense here if you haven't read it. Hannah x

* * *

><p>This Chapter is dedicated to SpiritedWind who was my first ever reviewer ans since then has reviewed every single chapter I have put, she has been really encouraging in her reviews and has made me want to work my hardest to get chapters out. I thought now we are entering book 2 it would be a good time to show my huge appreciation of her advice and general loveliness. Thank you so much xx<p>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifteen – Dear Summer<span>

Hermione Granger sat at the kitchen table with her parents, Susan and David Granger leisurely drinking her cup of tea whilst her parents finished off their bowls of cereal. It was one week into the summer holidays and so far Hermione had not heard a word from any of her school friends. Due to the fact that she didn't have an owl she had to wait until her friends wrote to her, which was a pain to say the least. She wasn't worried about the lack of contact so far though, her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, were both boys, and boys weren't known for their brilliant correspondence skills.

So far Hermione was enjoying her summer a lot. She hadn't seen her parents for nearly six months so she had had a lot of catching up to do. She had also began some of her holiday homework, which wasn't too challenging, probably because Hermione had come top of the year in their end-of-year exams a few weeks ago. Her parents had been very pleased with her. Just as she was deciding whether or not to have a piece of fruit her mother screeched.

"An owl!"

Hermione and Mr Granger laughed. Mrs Granger had a tendency to do this every time she saw an owl delivering a letter. The bird soared through the open window and landed in the middle of the table. Hermione didn't recognize the owl which was a light brown colour. She quickly untied the envelope attached to its leg and slid out the letter inside.

_Dear Hermione_

_How are you? I hope your holidays are going well and you're enjoying seeing your parents. Enclosed are two of the photos I took at the end of the year. Dad developed all of them for me and you mentioned that you'd like a copy to show to your parents._

_Feel free to use Prim (the owl) to send any letters. I know your family won't have an owl so you can't send any letters to Harry or Ron. We have two owls at home so we don't mind Prim being gone for a bit._

_See you soon._

_Parvati x_

Hermione hurriedly delved into the envelope and pulled out the photos. Parvati had received a camera for her birthday and on the last day of school she had snapped lots of different photos of groups of people to show her parents. The first one in the envelope was a sweet photo of all the Gryffindor first year girls. Parvati and gotten Neville Longbottom to take the picture whilst Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, Lucy and Julia had stood, arms around each other, smiling at the camera. Well that was how the photo was originally taken. In the wizarding world photos occupants could move around at will. As Hermione watched Julia told some sort of joke and all the girls fell about laughing. Hermione smiled and slid out the second photo, this was one of herself, Ron and Harry. The three of them were talking animatedly together but looked up and began to wave and smile as Hermione watched, before going back to laughing at something Ron had said. Hermione looked up to see that her parents had taken Parvati's letter and were reading it together, when they were done Hermione passed the photo's over. She watched, confused as her parents faces fell and the sight of the photos and her mother went pale.

"Hermione … th-th-the photos are … moving!" whispered her mother.

Hermione laughed and her parents looked up, startled.

"In the wizarding world photos can move mum. There's a special potion you put them into to develop," Hermione explained.

Mr and Mrs Granger both breathed sighs of relief and looked back at the photos with curiosity. Hermione got up from the table and stood behind her mother and father, she began to point out who all the different girls were.

"They all look lovely," Said her mother fondly

"Yes, they're all quiet nice," Said Hermione, truthfully the girls were nice, but she found there company to be quite boring. Her parents were now examining the other photo.

"Harry's very small," commented her father, pulling his glasses from his pocket to gain a better looks. Hermione murmured her agreement whilst her parents continued to examine the photo.

"Well don't you all look different!" Said her mother "Like opposites of each other, but you do seem to be getting along well,"

Hermione mumbled something … again, there wasn't really anything to say to their statements

"They're lovely dear, why don't you go and pin them up," Said her mother handing back the photos.

"Alright, I'll write the letters as well. Can you give Prim, the owl something to eat," And with that Hermione went upstairs to compose the letters.

_Dear Parvati_

_Thank you so much for the photos, I've pinned them to my cork board. You should have seen my parent's faces when they saw them, they've never seen a wizard photo before and they were very shocked to see everyone wandering about._

_My summer's going lovely so far thank you. It's really nice to see all my family. Thank you for lending me Prim as well, hopefully she won't tire too much, flying so far around the country!_

_Hope your holidays are going nicely._

_Hermione_

_Dear Ron_

_How are you? I'm using Parvati's owl to send this letter to you and she said I couldn't borrow her after she sent me a letter. Wasn't that nice?_

_I hope your holidays are going alright, mine have been lovely so far, mum and dad have been getting a few days off work to spend time with me which is great because I missed them so much. I haven't told them about the Philosophers stone or anything that happened at the end of last year. I didn't want to scare them because they might think it's normal to send first years to defend a stone against You-Know-Who and they might worry about me going back. Have you told your parents? I suppose they would be a bit more accepting about it because they went to Hogwarts themselves._

_Have you heard from Harry yet? Only I thought he'd send us letters to keep his mind off of his Uncle, Aunt and Cousin._

_See you soon_

_Love from Hermione_

_Dear Harry_

_How are you? I hope you're alright at home with your Uncle and Aunt. Are they treating you okay?_

_This is Parvati's owl that delivered the letter, she said I could borrow her to send letters to you and Ron. How's your schoolwork going? I've started a few of our assignments but I'm only doing a little bit at a time._

_If you're not being allowed to use Hedwig, send a reply back with Prim, I'm sure no-one will mind. After that you can write to me via Ron's owl._

_I hope you're alright and you Uncle and Aunt are being nice_

_Love from Hermione_

**One Week L****ater**

_Hermione_

_Holidays are going fine thanks. I had to tell mum and dad about the Philosophers stone because Fred and George mentioned I won fifty points for Gryffindor and it all sort of came out from there. They were quite proud of me but now they won't stop going on about Harry and how scary it must have been for him. Not that I mind them doing it, it's Ginny that's the problem, she won't shut up!_

_No I haven't heard from Harry and this is the second letter I've sent to him (Errol's going to Harry straight after you so feel free to send another letter with him) I hope the muggles aren't treating him badly._

_Anyway, see you soon_

_Ron._

_Dear Harry_

_Are you alright? This is the second letter both me and Ron have sent to you. Maybe the first one just didn't reach you, if so how are you?_

_My holidays are going great, my Grandparents just left after staying for a few days, we went to visit a castle near to us which was a lovely bit of history but the weather was very hot. Have you done anything interesting? If not, how's tormenting Dudley going? It's not a very nice thing to do but if your cousin is as bad as you say he is… _

_Anyway, please reply because Ron and I and beginning to worry._

_Love from Hermione._

_Dear Ron_

_Thanks for letting me use Errol, although he was a bit tired when he arrived. Mum screamed even louder than usual when he fell into the fruit bowl rather than landing on the table. What have you been doing in the holidays? I've mostly been seeing family which I nice, although obviously they don't know that I'm a witch so it has been a little bit awkward when they ask me what my favourite subject at school is, obviously I can't say charms!_

_If Harry only replies to you, please tell me immediately, I'm starting to worry._

_Love from Hermione_

_p.s please don't refer to Harry's Aunt and Uncle just as 'muggles'. It implies that you think all muggles are as bad as they are which makes me feel bad as my whole family are muggles._

**3 Days Later**

_Hermione_

_This is Harry's muggle address. Dad got it from work just in case:_

_Number 4_

_Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey _

_Mum says you should try using that. It also stops Errol having to make the extra long journeys; I think maybe that's what's stopping the letters getting to Harry, Errol collapses on the way. Might mean I don't write to you for a while, sorry._

_Ron_

_p.s sorry about the muggle thing. I didn't mean it like that at all._

_25 Meadow View_

_Church Lane_

_Little Missenden_

_Chiltern_

_Buckinghmashire_

_Dear Harry_

_Ron gave your muggle address so hopefully this will reach you. Are you alright? We've all be so worried about you. We've guessed that Hedwig's been locked up but why haven't you been replying? If this is the first letter that you've got (I don't know how it would be) then how has your summer been? I've been having a great few weeks (apart from worrying about you) We've visited family and had some picnics and walks, I love spending time with my family, although mum asks hundreds of questions a day about school and you and Ron. She wants to know everything! _

_I hope this reaches you and please write back to let me know you're okay_

_Love from Hermione_

**1 Week Later**

_25 Meadow View_

_Church Lane_

_Little Missenden_

_Chiltern_

_Buckinghmashire_

_Dear Harry_

_I'm hoping the last letter I sent you got lost in the post because you never replied. Hopefully you will get this letter so please, please, please reply!_

_If you're not being allowed to reply but are reading this letter I will tell you a bit about me week, in case you have nothing to do. We went up to Manchester for three days to visit my Aunt, which was an okay trip. I'm not really keen on cities so it wasn't that interesting when we went out. I actually played a game to see if I could spot any witches or wizards walking along. There was one woman who I thought could have been a witch, she was wearing odd clothes and kept checking one of her pockets, maybe to see if her wand was still there? I was annoyed that whilst I was there I couldn't do any of my homework because my Aunt doesn't know I'm a witch. I'm doing a lot to catch up now._

_Anyway, I hope you are well and please reply_

_Love from Hermione_

**4 Days Later**

_Hermione_

_Have you had any replies from Harry yet? I've sent three more letters and still had nothing. My parents are seriously beginning to worry. Anyway this owl is sending him his birthday card and present, you can attach yours with it if the muggle post isn't working._

_Ron_

_Dear Harry_

_Enclosed is your birthday card and present. I hope just muggle sweets are okay. That's if you get this. I hope you have an enjoyable birthday and please write back to me in any way possible._

_Love from Hermione_

_Dear Ron_

_I've heard nothing from Harry and I've sent him two letters. My dad is thinking about driving down to Surrey to see what has been going on. I've decided if I haven't heard from him in a week, we will. _

_Hope you're alright and keep me posted on any news_

_Love from Hermione_

**4 Days Later**

_Hermione_

_We're rescuing Harry from the Dursleys tomorrow, so your parents don't need to worry any more. If we get him he'll stay at ours for the rest of the summer holidays. Hopefully he'll have a good explanation and everything will be alright._

_Wish me luck_

_Ron _

Hermione breathed a huge sigh of relief as she read the short letter over twice more. She looked up to see her parents watching her, their faces masks of worry, she passed the letter over to them and turned to Errol, who was lying in the middle of the kitchen table, looking frankly, quite dead. Hermione seriously hoped he wasn't as that would be very difficult to explain to Ron and his family. Gingerly she lifted him up and carried him to a spare chair at the table, doing this told her he was in fact breathing. He wouldn't however, stand up on the chair so Hermione laid him down and went to fetch a bowl of water for him to drink out of.

"Well this is a relief," Said her father, handing her back the letter.

Hermione agreed whilst poking Errol to drink the water.

"Oh, how about we decide when we're going to London to get your school books, then you could tell the Weasleys and they can meet us there," said Mrs Granger, leaning back in her chair leisurely.

Hermione nodded in agreement and sat back down at the table, after leaving the water bowl next to Errol's head.

"Well, we need to leave time for the Hogwarts book list to arrive, I think it should come in the next week," Replied Hermione.

"And time enough so we don't just spring it on the Weasleys," agreed her mother.

"How about Wednesday the 16th, that's one of the days we took off from work," said her father checking the calendar.

Hermione and Mrs Granger nodded their agreement before Hermione headed up to bed, as it was quite late in the evening. The next morning saw no improvement in Errol, who lay pathetically on the chair, occasionally taking sips of water. Hermione's parents had to work that day so Hermione sat in the back garden, doing her homework and reading her books. She wished she had her new school books already as she was desperate to start learning about her subjects at second year.

The next five days passed in much the same fashion, apart from Sunday when Mr and Mrs Granger weren't working. On that day they went to the local pub for lunch before playing cards at home. Finally after six days of rehabilitation, Errol looked ready to fly. Hermione quickly wrote a letter to send back to Ron with him.

_Dear Ron and Harry if you're there_

_I hope everything went alright and that Harry is OK and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out, Ron, because that would get Harry into trouble too. I've been really worried and if Harry is alright will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would be better if you used a different owl, because I think another delivery might finish your one off._

_I'm very busy with school work at the moment, of course, and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's happening as soon as you can._

_Love from Hermione_

**2 Days Later**

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL__  
><em>_of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster:__Albus Dumbledore__  
><em>_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,__  
><em>_Supreme Mugwump,__International Confed__.__ of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss. Granger_

_You will shortly be entering you second year of magical education at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term begins on September the first. Please catch the Hogwarts Express from Platform nine and three quarters at Kings Cross Station on this day._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall__  
><em>_Deputy Headmistress_

_Second year students will require:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (grade two) by Miranda Goshawk_

_Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart_

**1 Day Later**

_Dear Hermione_

_Ron told be that I'd better write this letter as apparently you've been going frantic. I'm Ok and I'm safely at Ron's. I'll explain everything when we meet up at Diagon Alley, it will be quicker that way. Please thank your dad for offering to drive all the way to Surrey to check I was alright, it was really nice of him (Ron told me)._

_I'm having a brilliant time here, most days we practise Quidditch or hang around in the garden, playing chess or cards, it's great fun. Anyway we'll see you next Wednesday in Diagon Alley._

_Harry_

_p.s Ron says hey._

* * *

><p>PLEASE READ, FOR ONCE THIS IS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT.<p>

1) i need you to tell me whether you like this format of writing the summer holidays, becuase i write for you to read so if the majority of you dislike it then i obviously won't do it in the other summers, if you do like it please tell me so i know you want me to do it in the other summers :)

2) THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT: i will not be updating for quite a while. Now let me explain before you begin to throw things at me. Because of all the mistakes i made in the previous chapters both major and minor i realised i need to work out a way not to do that. That way is to be chapters ahead of you guys so that i can correct mistakes in previous chapters that affect immediate chapters. I've worked out i always want to be around 5 chapters ahead of you guys. At the moment i'm half a chapter, which means you need to leave me some time to write about five chapters before i post the next one...did that make sense? Anyway, this will be better for everyone in the long run as there will be less mistakes and more succinct writing. Don't despair as in the next week i've got some one-shots coming up so you can read them to bridge the gap, just sub to author alerts. I'm really sorry for this and i hope you understand my reasons. It may be a month until the next chapters up so...sit tight xx

Hannah


	2. Prejudice Enchanted

This chapter is - of course - dedicated to Hermione Granger, on her 32nd Birthday. Hermione it's difficult to sum up how and why I love you so much in so few words but I'll try. You taught me that it's okay to be clever, you taught me the importance of loyalty, you showed me how to stay strong when you had literally lost everything and you showed me how important friendship is and how that's what is needed to build a romance. I'm always terrified that I won't find my Ron, but I'm so glad you found yours - because you: my mentor, my idol, my friend, deserve nothing less.

* * *

><p><em>I'm wonderstruck blushing all the way home<em>

_I'll spend forever wondering if you knew_

_I was enchanted to meet you_

As Hermione and her parents began walking from Euston Station to Charing Cross Road, she could not help but think about this time, little over a year ago when she had walked the same path with Professor McGonagall. Hermione fondly remembered how they had talked about animagi. Quite a few things had changed since that day, least of all the few inches that had been added to her height. She now completely knew about the wizarding world, she was officially a student at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizrdary with her own wand and cauldron and something quite unexpected had happened. She had made friends. Two proper friends who had even stayed in contact with her (or tried to) over the summer.

Now she stood with her parents outside the Leaky Cauldron.

"I still can't see it," moaned Mrs Granger staring at what to her looked like a derelict shop.

"Come one," Said Hermione, grabbing their hands and pulling them through the door. Inside it was as shabby yet cosy as it had been before.

"Good morning," Hermione said brightly to Tom the barman

"Morning Miss," He said in return

Hermione and her parents quickly passed through the bar and out into the courtyard beyond. Taking her wand out of her pocket she tapped the correct brick and the magical archway swiftly opened.

"We'd better go to that bank first Hermione, we need to change our money again," Said Mr Granger, nodding towards Gringotts.

All three Grangers walked down the sunny street and into Gringott's cool marble hall. Just as her father had taken out his wallet Hermione spotted the huge figure of Hagrid on the street outside the door, and walking next to him was a skinny boy with jet black hair. With a quick 'hold on' to her parents Hermione sped out of the doors and to the top of the flight of steps. Squinting she saw it was definitely Harry standing next to Hagrid.

"Harry! Harry! Over here!" she called

Harry and Hagrid looked up and Hermione ran down the steps to meet them, beaming.

"What happened to your glasses?" Hermione asked, noticing how they were broken and falling off Harry's face. "Hello Hagrid … Oh it's _wonderful_ to see you two again … Are you coming into Gringotts Harry?"

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," Harry answered

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said, grinning.

Harry and Hermione both turned to see Ron, Fred, George, Percy and a thin, balding man who could only be Mr Weasley sprinting towards them.

"Harry, we _hoped _you'd only gone one grate to far," Panted Mr Weasley "Molly's frantic – she's coming now,"

"Where did you come out?" Asked Ron after giving Hermione a quick smile of a hello

"Knockturn Alley," Harry said grimly

"_Brilliant_!" Said Fred and George simultaneously

"We've never been allowed in," Ron said, with a hint of jealousy

"I should ruddy well think not," Hagrid angrily muttered

Now Mrs Weasley came galloping through the crowd, little Ginny clutching onto her hand.

"Oh Harry – oh my dear – you could have been anywhere …."

To Hermione's slight shock she pulled a clothes brush out of her handbag and began brushing off the soot and dirt that covered Harry. Mr Weasley took Harry's glasses off of him, and quickly fixed them before turning to shake Hagrid's hand as Hagrid said.

"Well, gotta be off. See yer at Hogwarts," And he left

The group of them turned to climb up the Gringotts steps.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes. Malfoy and his father," Said Harry to her and Ron

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" Mr Weasley asked from behind them

"No he was selling,"

"So he's worried. Oh I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something …."

"You be careful, Arthur," Said Mrs Weasley as they walked through the doors. "That family's trouble, don't go biting off more than you can chew,"

Hermione looked towards her parents who broke off from their conversation as the group moved in.

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy," Said Mr Weasley, sounding affronted. As he said this though he caught sight of Mr and Mrs Granger. "But you're _muggles_!" He said, hurrying over to them. Hermione watched her parent's surprised faces with slight amusement. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there! Oh you're changing muggle money, Molly look!"

Just as that moment a goblin came to take the Weasleys and Harry to their vault.

"Meet you back here," Said Ron as he walked off.

"What does he mean when he says 'we must have a drink'?" asked her mother quietly.

"Mr Weasley works in the misuse of muggle artefacts office at the Ministry so he likes to know all about muggles and muggle things, he just wants to chat to you," Explained Hermione.

Her mother still looked very apprehensive as her father began to hand over money.

"Right so that's for today and spending money for the year as well," Said Mr Granger handing her the small bag of gold, silver and bronze. "Remember that's all your pocket money for the whole school year, you don't have to spend it all, what's left can be exchanged back and put into your savings account,"

"Thanks dad," Hermione said.

There was a short wait for the Weasleys and Harry but then they all walked back down the marble steps.

"So what do you say about a drink at the Leaky Cauldron?" Asked Mr Weasley Genially

Seeing the Ganger's torn faces he continued "Oh say you will, I'm desperate to ask you what a 'hair-dryer' is!"

Hermione's parents now looked even more baffled but they nodded their heads nonetheless.

"Right well I need a new quill," Percy muttered

"Lee!" Shouted the twins, spotting their friend Lee Jordan from school.

"Well Ginny and I are going to that second-hand robe shop Arthur, so we'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your new school books," Said Mrs Weasley. "And not one foot down Knockturn Alley!" She shouted to Fred and George as they walked away.

So Hermione, Harry and Ron began to stroll down the cobbled street, sunlight bouncing off their hair.

"So why did you never write back Harry?" Hermione asked

Harry sighed and said "Hold on,"

Then he walked into a small shop called 'Florean Fortescue's ice-cream parlour'. Hermione and Ron followed.

"I'll have three strawberry and peanut-butter ice-creams, large please," Said Harry after examining the display case.

Hermione reached for the money in her pocket but Harry shook his head.

"Think of it as all the letters you never got from me," He said to her, whilst handing a few sickles over the counter. Then he handed Ron and Hermione their ice-creams and the three of them left the shop.

"Right, where to begin," Said Harry. "Well Hedwig was locked up in her cage so I couldn't send you letters and I didn't get a single letter from any of you for the whole time I was at the Dursley's. I'd thought you'd just forgotten me, but then on my birthday this house-elf …. Do you know what a house-elf is?" Harry stopped his story to ask.

"Yes of course, carry on," Hermione said impatiently.

"Yeah, so this house-elf called Dobby shows up in my bedroom to give me a warning. He said that I mustn't got back to Hogwarts because there's a plot to make terrible things happen at school this year,"

"What!" Hermione gasped.

"I know, and when I asked him what the plot was or who was plotting it, he couldn't tell me, kept banging his head against the wall. And it turns out, to try to stop me going back he had been stopping all my letters, he thought that if I thought you'd all forgotten me, I wouldn't want to come back to school,"

Hermione was now very confused but Harry carried on.

"Anyway, then he ran downstairs where the Dursleys had guests over and then he made my Aunt's violet pudding hover near the ceiling, he said he would drop it unless I said I wasn't going back to Hogwarts. Obviously I said I was and he dropped the cake. This all meant I got a letter from the Ministry of Magic saying that I'd done underage magic and warning me that if I did it again they might expel me,"

"But you didn't do it in the first place!" Hermione spluttered.

"I know but," He shrugged. "So then the Dursleys locked me up in my room and three days later Ron came and rescued me," He finished, somewhat lamely.

Hermione gaped at him and said. "So let me get this straight. A house-elf just shows up, tells you not to come to Hogwarts, drops a cake and you get a Ministry warning letter?"

"That's the jist of it," Harry said, nodding.

"We thought that Dobby could have been a prank from Malfoy or something," Ron said, who until now had been happily slurping his ice-cream.

"I suppose …." Hermione mused. "It's all a bit odd, isn't it?"

Harry nodded again.

"Woah," Ron had stopped outside 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' and was gazing longingly at a bright orange set of robes in the window. Hermione leant down to read the small plaque.

_Chudley Cannons full set of Quidditch Robes_

_30 Galleons_

Hermione sighed. "Ron …."

"Shh," He cut her off

Hermione finished her ice-cream whilst Ron continued to look transfixed. She turned to Harry who just shrugged, she waited a few more seconds before grabbing Ron's elbow.

"Come one, we need ink and parchment for next year," She said, as she half dragged him next door.

"Hermione!"

"You can't stare at it all day!"

The rest of the hour was spent meandering into different shops, chatting about what they spotted in the windows and Hogwarts. Whilst they walked Hermione couldn't help but think about how happy Harry looked, he almost seemed to glow. He looked well fed, especially when Hermione thought back to when they had first met on the train. He also seemed comfortable, like he was truly enjoying just walking down the street with them on this sunny day. Hermione realised that it was because of the Weasleys, they had taken him under their wing and treated him like a son, treatment which Harry had never received before, and it was that that was making him so happy.

Her musing about Harry were driven from her mind when they arrived at Flourish and Blotts an hour later. A large banner strung across the front of the building proclaimed.

_GILDEROY LOCKHART_

_Will be signing copies of his autobiography_

_MAGICAL ME_

_Today 12:30 – 4:30 pm._

Hermione's heart skipped a beat.

"We can actually meet him!" She squealed. "I mean he's written almost the whole booklist!"

She almost clapped her hands in joy, she had been looking forward to reading Lockhart's books ever since the booklist had arrived, they all sounded so exiting and informative. The three of them squeezed into the shop with difficulty as there was a large crowd around the doors. Grabbing copies of 'Break with a Banshee' they managed to find Mr and Mrs Granger and all of the Weasleys. Hermione smiled at her parents who were looking extremely confused, between them they carried the full works of Lockhart.

"Oh there you are, good," Said Mrs Weasley, sounding breathless. "We'll be able to see him in a minute …"

And slowly, Hermione saw him. He was in one word, beautiful. He had wavy blonde hair, blue eyes and a dazzling smile that seemed to light the table at which he sat. He wore forget-me-not blue robes with a matching hat set at a jaunty angle. Hermione watched as he laughed at something the witch in front of him was saying, his white teeth flashing and his eyes sparkling. A short man was rushing around, taking photographs of Lockhart.

"Out of the way, there, this is for the daily prophet," He snapped at Ron.

"Big deal," Said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on him.

Gilderoy Lockhart looked up, he had heard Ron! Now he was looking over at their large group, Hermione blushed as his eyes swept around, then he started and leapt from his seat.

"It _can't _be Harry Potter?" He shouted

Suddenly he dived forward and caught Harry's arm, pulling him to the front, around Hermione the crowd began to clap, Hermione quickly joined in. Harry's face was boiling red as Lockhart shook his hand vigorously and the photographer snapped away loudly, engulfing Hermione and the rest of their party in thick, purple smoke. After enough photos had been taken, Lockhart threw an arm around Harry's shoulders and waved for the crowd to be quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography – which I shall be happy to present to him now, free of charge. He had _no _idea," Lockhart called loudly, grinning from ear to ear and giving Harry a small shake. "That he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, _Magical Me. _He and his school fellows will, in fact, be getting the real, magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Around Hermione the crowd cheered loudly and Hermione once again joined in. Beside her however, Ron groaned slightly. Harry quickly disappeared from sight to the side of the room.

"You go next Hermione dear," Said Mrs Weasley, still clapping.

Hermione quickly stepped forwards with her parents. Lockhart was once again seated behind his desk.

"Hello there," He said cheerfully, Hermione felt herself blush.

"Hello," she answered

"You must go to Hogwarts as well, are you a friend of Harry's?"

"Ye – Yes we came today to meet up with him," Hermione stammered.

"Excellent, excellent, I look forward to teaching you Miss …"

"Granger sir"

"Good good, now …. Oh!" Lockhart looked at the books in the Hermione's arms. "But you haven't got my autobiography! Would you like a copy?"

"Oh … well um …" Hermione didn't know what to say, she did want a copy but it was up to her parents really.

"Yes we'll have one, it can be an early birthday present Hermione," Said her mother, smiling serenely at Lockhart.

"Excellent, I'll sign that one then … oh, are you muggles?" He asked, frowning at Mr and Mrs Granger's clothes.

Mrs Granger nodded slowly.

"Well how exiting, I would recommend that after young Miss Granger here has finished with my books, you read them yourselves, I think they would be a great insight into our world," he said, handing _Magical Me _to Hermione.

"Alright, thank you!" beamed Mrs Granger.

"Thanks," Hermione said, as she stepped out the way for Mrs Weasley and made her way over to Ron who was standing near by, clutching his set of books.

"Aren't you going to get yours signed?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"No," Ron said, snorting, "Come on, Harry went this way,"

Pushing and squeezing, Ron and Hermione finally reached the edge of the room where Harry and Ginny stood, facing none other than Draco Malfoy. He appeared to have just said something nasty as Ginny had gone scarlet.

"Oh, it's you," Said Ron, sneering at Malfoy, "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop Weasley. I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for that lot,"

Ron quickly dropped his books into Ginny's cauldron and jerked towards Malfoy. Hermione flung her arms out and grabbed the fabric of Ron's jacket, beside her Harry did the same.

"Ron!" What are you doing? It's mad in here, let's go outside," Mr Weasley had arrived with Fred and George. Hermione glanced quickly behind her to see her to see her parents standing a few feet back, looking worried.

"Well, well, well – Arthur Weasley."

Hermione swung back around to see a tall man with Malfoy's pointed face and cold grey eyes. Lucius Malfoy.

"Lucius," Mr Weasley answered coldly.

"Busy time at the ministry I hear. All those raids … I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached a pale hand out to Ginny's cauldron and extracted an extremely battered copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration._ It was clearly second hand.

"Obviously not," Mr Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the point of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr Weasley flushed the classic Weasley red.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said

"Clearly," To Hermione's horror, she realised that Mr Malfoy was staring right at her parents, a look of pure disgust on his pale face. Hermione glanced back again to see her parents looking scared. "The company you keep, Weasley … and I thought your family could sink no lower …"

To Hermione's absolute shock, Mr Weasley launched himself on Mr Malfoy, sending them both crashing against a book shelf, Ginny's cauldron had hit the floor with a loud clang and now dozens of heavy book were raining down upon all of them. Hermione lifted an arm to shield herself as a large book wacked her shoulder. Either Fred or George yelled 'Get him, Dad!" whilst Mrs Weasley shrieked "No, Arthur, no!" The crowd behind Hermione retreated backwards, so that a few more book tumbled down as people knocked into shelves. The assistant who had been at the door had hurried over and was crying "Gentlemen please – please!" Then the loudest voice of all sounded through, "Break it up, there, gents, break it up …"

Hagrid had entered the shop and after wading through the hundreds of books that were now strewn on the floor, he had grabbed Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy and wrenched them apart, both were slightly injured. Mr Malfoy was still holding Ginny's old transfiguration book, he thrust is at her.

"Here, girl – take your book – it's the best your father can give you …"

He pulled himself out of Hagrid's grip and he and Draco swept from the shop. Hermione bent down to pick up her fallen Lockhart books.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," Hagrid said straightening Mr Weasley's robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that. No Malfoy's worth listenin' ter. Bad blood, that's what it is. Come on now – let's get outta here."

Hermione walked next to her parents as they left the shop. Both of them were pale and shaking in fright at what they had just witnessed. Hermione herself still felt a little scared. In front of them Mrs Weasley was yelling at Mr Weasley. Ron and Harry came to walk beside her, Ron looking very amused. They quickly arrived at the Leaky Cauldron and began there goodbyes.

"Well, it was nice to see you all again," Said Mrs Granger shakily.

"Yes, I'm so sorry about Arthur, that must have been terrible for you to watch," Mrs Weasley said, kissing Mrs Granger's cheek.

"It was nice to finally meet you Harry," Mr Granger said, holding out his hand.

"And you sir," Harry said, taking it.

"And to see you again Ron," He gave Ron the same treatment.

"See you at Kings Cross," Said Hermione , lifting a hand in farewell.

Ron and Harry both said goodbye and watched as the three Grangers made there way towards the exit.

"Oh, how do bus stops wo…" Mr Weasley didn't finish his sentence after a look from Mrs Weasley so with a final wave the three Grangers stepped out into the muggle world the other side.

There was a minute of silence and then,

"Do you fancy telling us what that was all about Shakes?" Mr Granger said seriously

"Well, the boy, Draco Malfoy, is in our year at school, in Slytherin and he really doesn't like Harry, Ron and I. Ron and Harry argue with him a lot."

"Which is why Ron tried to punch him?"

"Yes because he made a comment about the Weasley's not having much money and Ron's really touchy about that. Then his father came along and, well you heard him make the same kind of remark and Mr Weasley …" Hermione trailed off.

"Attacked him? And what did 'the company you keep' comment mean Hermione? I'm assuming he meant us,"

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "I – I think the Malfoys are just against muggles in general, I'm not totally sure but I think people like them think that wizards are a lot better than muggles and muggles are just a bit stupid," Hermione finished in a rush.

"I see," Said Mr Granger coldly.

"But the Weasley's don't think that! Or Harry, or barely anyone at school, none of the teachers. You heard what Mr Lockhart said, he even wanted you to read his books. I really don't think there are many people who think like Malfoy,"

Mr Granger seemed to deflate a bit and nodded slowly,

"Okay, it's not us I'm worried about though, it's you, I don't want anyone being mean to you just because you have muggle parents,"

"Don't worry, no one is mean to me because of that, and if they are I can just ignore them because they're not worth knowing, isn't that what you always said when I was at primary school?" Hermione said to her mother now.

Mrs Granger gave a weak smile. "Good girl, that's the spirit."

"I still don't understand why someone would dislike you just because you're related to Muggles, you can still do magic as well as anybody, better actually," Mr Granger said, finally cracking a small smile.

"I don't know dad, I don't know,"

* * *

><p>BOOM - I Live! But let's start of with the bad news. I'm not back for good yet, I just couldn't bring myself to miss Hermione's birthday. I've already missed SO many but there was no way I could miss the person who's story this is actually about. Sooooo that means this is just a one off. In the time I have been away I have only written 2 chapters (pathetic I know) But with the start of a new school year, especially as it is my first A-level year I have been Snowed Under! I have already signed up for prefect and peer listening, have auditioned and got into the school play and have been appointed head choreographer (ahhhh!) However I really miss posting on here, so I will try to write as quickly as possible to get back on track again.<p>

On a better note, whilst I've been away I have still been writing, so - If you are interested in more Ron/Hermione I have written two song-fics about them called 'Between the Lines' and 'All I Need' I would love you all to read them and tell me what you think, especially between the lines because that to me is one of Hermione's theme songs. If you are interested in good old Neville I have written a one shot called 'Death is Inevitable' and it's about him restarting the DA and I'm quite proud of it. If you are interested in Hannah A/Neville then I have written a short multi-chap called 'Love Eradicates Fear'. I also have a few more one-shots coming out soon so sub to my author alerts ;)

One last thing. My best friend Lucy has just joined FanFiction (inspired by me of course) and she needs more readers and reviewers because she is an AMAZING author. Her pen-name is Snapealways7 and she is writing a very long fic about the life of Colin Creevey. She doesn't update nearly as much as me because most of her writing effort goes into an original story she's writing so if you like her style of writing and want to read more from her PM her and she'll be happy to link you up to her original story.

That's all from me for a while, watch this space ;)

Hannah x


	3. Last days of Summer

Last Days of Summer

The remaining two weeks of the summer holidays seemed to fly by like a brief reflection of a bird in a still lake. Like so many summers before, Hermione spread herself out on the grass in the Grangers small but relatively neat back garden, underneath the shade of their apple tree and devoured book after book. She enjoyed the Lockhart books immensely, they were action packed so read like a fiction but full of amazing first hand Defence Against The Dark Art's knowledge. She couldn't wait to be taught by the writer himself not just due to (though she blushed when she thought about it) his incredible history.

The only thing that tainted Hermione's happiness to be soon returning to the wizarding world washaving to leave her parents again for at least three months. Despite the incredible lessons, the homeliness of the Hogwarts castle and her two best friends, there was no denying that Hermione loved being at home with her parents and that the long periods of separation were hard. This was also added to by the worry that, as she was an only child, her parents got lonely when she left.

After fourteen days filled with sunshine, books and laughing with her parents over steaming mugs of tea, Hermione found herself in her room and sweating with exhaustion and frustration.

"For God's sake!" she burst out suddenly.

"Hermione!" her mother's voice scolded as she appeared in the doorway carrying two mugs of hot chocolate.

Her mother stopped short just inside the door laughing at the image before her. Hermione's trunk was on her bed, stuffed to the brim and Hermione was valiantly trying to squeeze the lid shut by sitting on top of it, around the trunk were various possessions which had obviously been thrown out of the trunk in an attempt to create more room.

"It won't shut and I can't fit everything inside!" cried Hermione at her mother.

She raked a hand though her hair and felt how bushy it had become from her efforts in packing. She sighed loudly and slid off her trunk.

"Come on then, let your mummy help," giggled Mrs Granger

"Mum!" Hermione rolled her eyes "It's the Lockhart books, they're so big!"

"Well with packing, believe me mums know best, and you're not too old to get help from your mum"

"I know," said Hermione, allowing her mum to give her a kiss on the top of her head.

Mrs Granger then proceeded to take out the entire contents of Hermione's trunk. Hermione watched in amazement as she began to lay the books in the bottom, fitting them together like pieces of a jigsaw. She began with the Lockhart books, which were all roughly equal in size then moved on to Hermione's others.

"Hermione you've got most of your first year books here!" She exclaimed.

"Well some of them I still need in lessons, but the rest I want to take because I like them" Hermione explained, looking down at the piles of books around her mother.

"Well you're definitely taking these two; they're no way near as big as the others anyway" Said Mrs Granger, picking up _A Winter's Tale _and_ Pride and Prejudice _and slotting them on top of the Lockhart books. Hermione did not argue she had got a lot of comfort out of her two favourite Muggle books whenever she had felt sad last year. She could open either book at any page and immediately the worries would drift rom her mind as her favourite books absorbed her back to a sense of old home comforts.

Mrs Granger continued to pick up books that would fit into the puzzle she'd created, knowing which ones Hermione liked best from what she'd read most this and last summer. Finally left on the bed were three huge history based books.

"Mum the other two are fine not to go but I have to take Hogwarts: A History!" Hermione pleaded.

"Hermione look at the size of it! It's one of the longest books I've ever seen, it'll never fit"

Hermione looked down at her copy of Hogwarts: A History and sighed, it was one of her favourites to read as Hogwarts had such an amazing and eventful past.

"Come on, they must have copies of this in the library?" Mrs Granger asked, looking pleadingly at her daughter.

Hermione shook her head, knowing she was being silly, "Yeah, you're right, they've got tons of copies in the library. I can check it out any time"

"Okay, great!" Mrs Granger said, relieved. Over the next half an hour she continued to pack Hermione's trunk. Putting all her underwear and socks in her cauldron to save space and making neat piles of carefully folded clothes over Hermione's few pairs of shoes. Finally, everything was in and although the trunk was still extremely full, the lid would now close and with more of Hermione's possessions in than when she had attempted it.

"There see, mum's know best" trilled Mrs Granger, taking a long sip from the now slightly cool hot chocolate. Hermione sipped hers and pulled a slight face, it was completely sugar free and not very tasty.

"Now it's getting quite late but why don't us and your Dad just all watch some television together for a little while, last evening together?"

Hermione nodded and followed her mother downstairs where she proceeded to snuggle in between her parents, one of their arms each round her, enjoying just being in their company.

"What I don't understand is how nobody notices what must be 1000 children and their parents disappear into thin air all within the same half an hour" Mr Granger said, shaking his head as they arrived onto platform 9¾.

"Because it's not like they run jumping up and down to the wall attracting attention. Do you honestly watch all the people walking past you at a train station Dad?" Hermione answered, smiling at her father.

"No I suppose not. Well we're a little early; shall I load that onto a compartment now for you Shakes?"

Hermione nodded and watched as her dad heaved her weighty trunk onto the train and into the nearest empty compartment before stepping back onto the platform to join Hermione's mother, who had now placed her arm around her daughter.

"Now have another amazing year love, don't work yourself too hard" Her mother said, rapidly blinking her eyes which were slowly growing damp.

"Don't let anyone mess you around Hermione, you're so much better than them," Mr Granger added, his face taking a serious look. Hermione knew he was thinking of their encounter with the Malfoy's.

"I'll be fine dad, I promise"

"And you'll keep writing to us?" Mrs Granger asked trying to hide the fact she was wiping her eyes.

"At least once a week, if not more" Hermione said putting her arms round her Mother's waist. Her Mother hugged her fiercely back and beside her Mr Granger wrapped his arms around them both. They stood like this for a little while until Hermione stepped back, frowning and looking round the platform.

"Why aren't the Weasley's and Harry here yet?" She mused, her head whipping round, though knowing that if they were here their red hair would give away their position in seconds.

"Yes they'll miss the train if there not careful" Her dad replied, glancing down at his watch. It was four minutes to eleven.

"Hermione maybe you should get on the train and wait…" Mrs Granger's words were cut off by the distraction of a red haired figure barrelling through onto the platform. It was soon obvious it was Percy.

"Ah good see they'll all be coming now, you get on the train and wait Hermione" Mr Granger said.

So as the red haired shape of Mr Weasley jogged onto the platform Hermione kissed her parents and, after letting the last few stragglers on before her, stepped onto the train. The Weasley's were now loading themselves and their luggage into the train one door down. Hermione watched as Mrs Weasley, who had only just appeared, squeezed Ginny in a tight hug over the train doorway. Her words floated down the platform to Hermione.

"Now don't worry Ginny, you'll do amazingly. All your brothers will look after you and you can write as much as you want. I love you so much dear"

A whistle blew and all along the train the guards began to shut the doors. Mrs Weasley was still holding a worried looking Ginny's hand. Mr Granger shut the door in front of Hermione.

"Mrs Weasley … MRS WEASLEY" Hermione yelled in her direction, Hermione's parents looked startled at their daughters sudden yell.

Mrs Weasley finally looked towards her as the pistons sounded and steam began to fill the air.

"WHERE ARE RON AND HARRY?"

Hermione watched as her fears were confirmed. Mrs Weasley jaw dropped as she looked frantically around her.

"Arthur!" She screeched, but the train had begun to move. Hermione turned back to her parents whose faces were now etched in worry. Mr Granger jogged slightly to keep up with the train as he reached for his daughters hand and kissed it.

"It'll be okay" he said, and stopped jogging.

Hermione nodded and raised a defeated hand in farewell, watching as her parents figures got smaller and smaller until they rounded a corner and were out of sight.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Imagine a huge rock, like the biggest rock you've ever seen in your life - well their's me poking my head around it looking at you. So about a month ago I got a review from a girl saying that even though I wasn't writing this anymore could I post the two chapters I had written in advance. Well when i got home from uni for the summer I dug out my old laptop to find that I'd deleted all the files off of it. I searched my external hard drive and my new laptop but no sign of the those chapters anywhere. I then began to wonder what I had written for them and eventually I began to write the next chapter, just having a bit of fun - next thing I know I wasn't working for a week so was quite bored and wrote the entirety of this story - in 5 days.<strong>

**So hi... I have no idea who will be reading this or if anyone will but I figured as I'd written this whole story I may as well post it. Now that I've written this all I can think about is the next Hermione's stories and chapters for them. Who knows if I'll write them (although I've begun to plan the 3rd one) i'm not making any promises at all but my minds gone crazy with HP fanfiction again. To let you know I never actually stopped reading fanfiction, I've read no way near as much in the last 2 years but I have been reading it and I've never forgotten about Hermione's story and how much I love it.**

**So to sum up - Hello! How are you all? I've written all of this so will hopefully be posting 1 chapter every other day. I'm all out the loop so chat to me - review, pm me and tell me what HP fanfictions you've been enjoying recently. I want to find some good one!**

**Love, Hannah x**


	4. Quite Excellent

Hermione glanced up and down the table wildly, already knowing that they weren't there. Still her heart sunk slightly further, where were Harry and Ron? The train journey had been uneventful, she had sat with Neville, Dean and Seamus and had tried to comfort Ginny slightly when she had seen her. She'd been completely panic stricken about Ron and Harry not getting on the train and Fred and George's methods of comforting her left a lot to be desired.

As the sorting hat finished it's song, slightly altered from the previous year Professor McGonogall stepped up and began calling the new students names. Hermione noticed behind her that Snape's seat at the staff table was empty. Hermione was pleased to see Professor McGonogall again, she looked just the same as the previous year with her tight bun and thin lips. When only a few students were left McGonogall called out,

"Weasley, Ginevra"

The little red haired figure walked meekly up to the faded hat, letting it slide down over her head. After a few seconds the hat yelled out

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A few seats down Fred and George exploded into raucous cheers which could be heard over the rest of Gryffindors claps. Ginny stumbled down and took a seat next to Percy, opposite Hermione.

"Are Harry and Ron still not here?" She asked, turning her large brown eyes on Hermione

"No sorry, but they'll be fine, it's Harry and Ron. They'll turn up" Hermione reassured her, although there were doubts in her head herself. It was obvious that they'd missed the train but she sincerely hoped they hadn't done anything stupid to get here.

After Dumbledore had started the feast and everyone was tucking into huge plates of food, Hermione saw Snape arrive through the doors into the great hall. He stalked quickly up the staff table, ignoring the Slytherin students who looked up at his as he passed and leaned down to talk to Professor McGonogall. As Hermione watched, McGonogall's mouth drew into a thinner and thinner line until it had almost disappeared. Finally she stood up and followed Snape out of the hall. Hermione had a horrid feeling that the conversation which had made her so angry had something to do with Ron and Harry.

OOO

"I've heard they've been expelled"

"Who?"

"You know Harry Potter and the Weasley kid he hangs round with!"

Hermione's head whipped round as she got buffeted around in the crowd trying to get out of the entrance hall. She spotted a group of fourth year Hufflepuffs a few people behind her chatting excitedly. She slowed down to try to listen.

"Wait what did they get expelled for, arriving late?"

"Don't know but that's where Snape, McGonogall and Dumbledore all were, must be serious"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, hoping what they were saying was just silly rumours although when Dumbledore had too left the feast she had been very worried. She allowed herself to keep being swept along by the crowd until she reached the top of the main staircase where a small knot of Ravenclaws were also chatting loudly as they walked along.

"Derick just told me he'd seen the evening prophet, the two idiots flew here in a car! They were spotted by muggles and everything!"

"They're going to be in so much trouble," A girl with a dark plait running down her back said.

Hermione broke away from her fellow Gryffindors to walk slightly behind the group of Ravenclaws, she had already found the password out from Percy so didn't need to stick to them.

"I heard they'd been expelled. Not surprised - just casually breaking the international statute of secrecy and laws on underage magic in the same afternoon, it's ridiculous!"

"It gets worse, called a slightly older boy a few paces above them who had been in his own conversation with a friend up until now. "They crashed the car in the school grounds, apparently it's damaged something like an old tree,"

"Where did you here that?" Asked the girl with the dark plait.

"One of the prefects heard it when McGonogall told Professor Sprout" He answered.

Hermione rolled her eyes, what everyone was saying were just silly rumours that no one had actually heard themselves. And they were getting more and more ridiculous the more she listened. She turned on her heel and began to trace her steps back to the route to the Gryffindor tower, the corridors were much clearer now and she was quite a few minutes behind from following the Ravenclaws. She walked slowly, hopping she might bump into Harry and Ron and find out what actually happened. Finally she emerged into the passage where the entrance to the tower was. To her immense relief standing in front of the Fat Lady were two familiar figures. One tall and gangly with red hair and the other small and skinny with black hair sticking in all directions. Hermione hurried over to them. They heard her approach and turned to face her, Hermione finally burst out.

"_There _you are! Where have you _been?_ The most _ridiculous _rumours – someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying _car._"

She had reached them now just as Harry said,

"Well we haven't been expelled,"

Hermione's brow furrowed, not believing they could be as stupid as the rumours sounded. "You're not telling me you _did _fly here?"

Ron looked annoyed and folded his arms, "Skip the lecture, and tell us the new password"

"It's wattlebird, but that's not the point…"

Her words were cut off as when the portrait swung open an eruption of cheering and clapping began. Harry and Ron were pulled into the Gryffindor common room and Hermione, scowling deeply, scrambled up through the hole by herself. Everyone it seemed was still awake and wanted to hear about Harry and Ron's adventure. After only a few seconds though they began to push their way over to the door to the dormitories.

"Night," Harry called back to Hermione, she did not reply.

Around her everyone began to chatter about the flying car. Hermione could feel tiredness from the long day creeping into her and she too began to push her way over to the dormitories. Once upstairs it was blessedly quiet so Hermione changed into her Pyjamas and sat down in bed just as the dormitory door flew open. Through it walked Parvati, Lavender, Lucy and Julie all laughing.

"Hey Hermione!" Called Lucy as she crossed the room to her own bed.

"Hi" Hermione answered back, hoping no one would talk to her about Harry, Ron and the car.

"How was your summer?" Parvati asked as she sat down hard on her own bed and began to pull off her shoes.

"Not bad, nothing too exciting, you guys?"

All the girls began to answer with stories of their summer and Hermione let their voices wash over her until a little while later she fell asleep.

OOO

"Is it just me, or has Malfoy turned into more of a stinking rats arse this year?" Ron asked her as they walked down the corridor towards their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.

Hermione murmured something in the affirmative but was too busy thinking about Professor Lockhart. She was unbelievably excited for this first lesson, he must have so many fascinating stories and he just seemed so charismatic and … Hermione stopped herself, she was getting silly. As she and Ron entered the classroom, Hermione's heart sank as she saw Harry (who had walked to the lesson with Professor Lockhart to sort out the whole autographing business) had chosen to sit himself right at the back of the classroom. Hermione had really hoped she could sit at the front; however it would seem odd I she left the boys now so she slid into her seat on Harry's right as Ron said.

"You could've fried an egg on your face. You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club,"

Harry snapped "Shut up" back at Ron whilst Hermione gave a tiny snort, imaging Harry being mobbed down corridors by Colin Creevey and Ginny. However her attention was soon wholly at the front of the room as Professor Lockhart cleared his throat.

"Me," He said as he held up a copy of _Travelling with Trolls_. He really did have the most beautiful smile as he winked roguishly at the class. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming smile award – but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee just by_ smiling_ at her!"

Hermione smiled slightly at the joke and idly she thought about what an amazing shade of blue Professor Lockhart's eyes were.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books – well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about – just to check how well you've read them, how much you taken in …"

Hermione sat up a little straighter. Now here was a real chance to prove how much she had enjoyed Lockhart's books over the last couple of weeks. She had read all of them cover to cover at least once. She had to do well on this test. Hermione looked down at the piece of paper in front of her and felt a smile curl at the corners of her lips as she set her quill onto the paper. She was in her element here.

Half an hour later Professor Lockhart collected in the papers and, Hermione's stomach gave a funny jilt in her stomach in a way it had never done before, started to read through them quickly in front of the class. She crossed her fingers underneath her desk. As he talked about some of the questions a lot of people had got wrong Hermione sat up straighter and straighter, knowing she had those answers right.

"…but Miss Hermione Granger-" Hermione actually jumped slightly in her seat as he said her name " –knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions – good girl! In fact … full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione's stomach now seemed to be doing small backflips and her face grew hot with pride and embarrassment, she raised a shaking hand.

"Excellent! " Lockhart exclaimed beaming at her. "Quite excellent! Take ten points to Gryffindor!" And so, to business…"

So as the class continued and pixies flew around the room, causing utter havoc, Hermione could only think of Professor Lockhart beaming at her. She'd impressed him, he knew who she was and thought she was 'excellent'. Hermione couldn't stop smiling for most of the day.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Not the longest of chapters but hopefully it was okay? I just love her crush on Lockhart hehe :) I know that a few people read the last chapter so if you're reading would you pretty please review? I really want feedback on how I'm doing - still feels odd coming back to writingposting all this. **


	5. Mudblood

The remainder of their first week back at Hogwarts passed uneventfully. Hermione had successfully done well in all her first lessons, showing how much she had worked over the summer. All the professors had been impressed with her (apart from Professor Snape, who simply didn't criticise any of Hermione's work during the first lesson, which in the world of Professor Snape was the same as 20 house points). Saturday dawned bright, with the last remnants of summer hanging in the air. Today she, Ron and Harry had planned on going to visit Hagrid, and then Hermione was going to write her first letter to her parents. She woke early, whilst the rest of the girls were still asleep and idly lay on her bed for a while reading _Year with a Yeti_. Finally, when the others started to slowly wake up around her, Hermione got up, pulled on a pair of jeans and a new top her mother had bought her over the summer and headed down to the common room.

She had expected to find both Ron and Harry there but instead only Ron was draped into a squashy armchair, staring off into space absentmindedly. It wasn't until Hermione had reached the side of the chair that Ron jolted out of his reverie.

"Harry's gone down to Quidditch practise, he left a note," Ron said, slowly pulling himself out of the chair and handing Hermione the ripped bit of parchment.

'Gone to Quidditch practise. AT DAWN!' read the note in a slightly scruffier handwriting than Harry normally wrote in

"He seems really pleased about that," Hermione said with a slight smirk. Ron grinned and turned towards the portrait hole. They walked to the Great Hall mostly in silence, Ron yawning all the way. When they reached the room the celling reflected a beautiful blue sky with a few fluffy clouds gently floating by.

"Why don't we go and watch the end of the practise, he'll be finished or finishing soon and it's such a nice day" Hermione asked, smiling at the ceiling.

Ron nodded and walked over to table and proceeded to take half the toast from the nearest plate of toast and marmalade. He was about to walk away when he doubled back to the table and grabbed a sausage from the nearest plate, biting into it hungrily.

"Hungry?" Hermione asked, relieving him of the toast and shaking her head. He grinned stupidly and stuffed the rest of the sausage into his mouth. Hermione made a noise of disgust in the back of her throat; really did he have to be such a pig sometimes?

Together they walked out of the great and hall and down the front steps into the grounds. The air was mild and a slight breeze lifted Hermione's hair, it was a beautiful day. Once they reached the Quidditch pitch it became obvious there were none of their Gryffindor house mates were there.

"They're probably in the changing rooms for a talk or finishing, we can just wait in the stands for a bit," Ron said, leading the way up to seats halfway up the stands.

Hermione leaned back, her face towards the sun, casually munching the marmalade toast. It was a good way to start a day.

"Isn't that the kid who follows Harry around like an annoying puppy?" asked Ron, pointing towards the opposite stands.

Hermione squinted, in the highest stands indeed sat Colin Creevey, clutching his camera to his chest.

"Yeah it is. Do you think he followed Harry out here at dawn?" She asked.

"Probably, he'd follow him into the lair of the giant squid!"

Hermione cracked a grin and there was a pause before a thought entered a her head

"By the way how's Ginny doing, I haven't seen much of her?" she questioned, turning her head to face Ron now and taking another piece of toast.

Ron shrugged. "Don't know, she's keeping pretty quiet really and at home she doesn't normally shut up so…"

"She'll settle in," Hermione said, hoping she would. Ginny seemed so nice when she had met her.

"Yeah, I've seen her walking round with some friends so I bet she's fine," Ron said, not seeming too bothered.

At that moment they were both distracted by the appearance of seven red and gold clad players walking on to the pitch, all holding broomsticks. Hermione sat up slightly as Harry spotted them, raising her hand to wave.

"Aren't you finished yet?" shouted Ron from beside her.

"Haven't even started yet," Harry called back with a grimace "Wood's been teaching us new moves,"

Hermione and Ron watched happily as Harry mounted his broomstick and soared off into the sky, racing Fred and George around the stands. Hermione smiled, he always looked so natural and free on a broom. Just as Wood caught up with Harry, Fred and George Ron nudged her in the ribs to get her attention.

"What?" she asked, spinning to face him.

"Look," he said pointing to the entrance of the stands where seven green and silver shapes had appeared.

"That's not good," muttered Hermione.

Ron shook his head and they watched as the Gryffindor team all soared towards them; Wood started shouting immediately as they landed.

"Slimy gits, what do they think they're doing?" Ron asked, visibly bristling beside her.

"Come on let's go down and see," Hermione replied, standing up and walking towards the steps. Ron followed immediately.

It didn't take long to climb down the stairs and just as they were crossing the pitch to reach the group, Harry and the rest of the team mates glanced towards them.

"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry as they reached him, "Why aren't you playing? And what's _he_ doing here?"

Hermione turned her head to look where Ron was glaring to see Malfoy smirking at them. She hadn't noticed him until now. Annoyance flared up inside her immediately. She really hated Malfoy.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley" Malfoy said, a smug look on his pointed face. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team,"

Hermione's eyes fell on the broomsticks in each Slytherin players arms, all of them were sleek and shining and all had 'Nimbus Two Thousand and One' neatly lettered on the handle. Hermione felt disgusted at the lengths Malfoy had gone too to get on the Quidditch team. It was pitiful.

"Good aren't they? said Malfoy in reply to Ron's shocked face. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives, I expect a museum would bid for them."

Hermione watched as Fred, George and Ron's ears all glowed red at the Slyhtherin team howling with laughter at them. Pure anger at their anguish made her snap out.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in; _they _got in on pure talent."

For a second Hermione was pleased when she saw the smug look on Malfoy's face flicker and then he opened his mouth to retort.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat viciously.

Around her the Gryffindor team erupted. Hermione had no time to process Maloy's words. Fred and George attempted to jump on Malfoy. Alicia Spinnet shrieked "_How dare you!" _In outrage and to Hermione's horror Ron plunged his hands inside his robes for his wand. He yelled "You'll pay for that one Malfoy" and pointed his wand at Malfoy's face.

Hermione jumped as a huge bang erupted from Ron's wand along with a jet of green light which flew out the wrong way and hit him in the stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground behind him.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" yelped Hermione, rushing towards him. If he'd hurt himself trying to defend her from something Malfoy had said…

Ron opened his mouth to reply to her but to Hermione's horror instead of words, a large belch sounded and several slugs dribbled down his chin and into his lap. Behind her the Slytherin team erupted into loud laughter. Hermione was completely at a loss for what to do.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," said Harry. Hermione nodded and grabbed one of Ron's arms, pulling him up and putting his arm around her shoulder, he seemed too weak to stand properly.

As Colin Creevey got in their way and Harry lost his patience with him Hermione's heart was beating wildly against her chest. Ron had hurt himself because of something Malfoy had said to her. What on earth could the word he had used actually meant Hermione couldn't imagine. Something so bad it had made everyone that angry. Mudblood.

"Nearly there, Ron" Hermione said, trying to give him some comfort as Hagrid's cabin came into view. "You'll be alright in a minute … almost there …"

As they staggered towards the cabin the front door swung open and, Hermione's heart leapt up into her throat, Gilderoy Lockhart strode out in a set a pale mauve robes, his blonde hair shining in the morning sunshine.

"Quick, behind here," Harry hissed, taking most of Ron's weight and dragging him behind a bush. Hermione followed slowly, part of her wanting to stay where he could see them.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" Lockhart was calling back to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book – I'm surprised you haven't already got one. I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, goodbye!" Lockhart gave a cheery wave and strode towards the castle, Hermione sighed as she watched his retreating form.

After a little while, Harry pulled Ron out of the bush. Together they supported him up to the front door where the knocked urgently. Hagrid appeared within seconds, a cross look on his face that brightened immediately when he saw who it was.

"Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me – come in, come in – thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again."

They supported Ron over the threshold of Hagrid's one-roomed cabin and deposited him in one of the chairs beside his huge round table. Harry quickly explained what had happened.

"Better out than in," he said, seeming completely unperturbed and placing a large copper bucket in front of him. "Get 'em all up Ron."

"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop," Hermione voiced anxiously, watching poor Ron's pale face bent over the bucket. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand…" Hermione trailed off, continuing to watch Ron as he belched up more slugs, feeling so sorry for him and slightly guilty.

"What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid? Harry asked. Hermione turned her head towards him.

Hagrid's face darkened "Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of the well," he said, setting down a teapot he had just prepared. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some Banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."

Hermione eyebrows shot up at Hagrid's words. He was being very rude about a teacher and quite prejudicial.

"I think you're being a bit unfair." She said, her voice higher from being slightly offended. "Professor Dumbledore obviously though he was the best man for the job-"

"He was the _on'y_ man for the job," Hagrid interrupted, offering a plate of treacle fudge. "An' I mean the _on'y_ one. Gettin' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me, who was he tryin' ter curse?" Hagrid jerked his head at Ron.

Before Hermione could open her mouth to reply, Harry spoke. "Malfoy called Hermione something. It must have been really bad, because everyone went mad."

"It _was _bad" Ron said hoarsely, raising his head from the bucket. He was extremely pale and sweaty but seemed determined to tell Hagrid. "Malfoy called her 'mudblood', Hagrid-"

Ron bent his head down again and the sound of splattering slugs greeted them. Hermione's heart quickened at Ron's distress at the word.

"He didn'!" Hagrid growled, swivelling to face Hermione, his face thunderous.

"He did," she said, timidly. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course…"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of," Ron said, gasping as he raised his head again, his eyes seemed to apologise to Hermione as he looked at her. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who was Muggle-born – you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards – like Malfoy's family – who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He burped and a small slug fell into his hand. Hermione's blood seemed to have turned cold and she could feel her eyes prickling. She blinked rapidly. "I mean the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom – he's pure-blood and can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can't do." said Hagrid, his voice full of pride. Hermione felt her face heat up furiously in embarrassment.

"It's a disgusting thing to call someone," Ron said angrily. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's mad. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we'd've died out."

The rest of the day continued and although Hermione acted much like her normal self the horrid words of 'mudblood', 'common blood', dirty blood' seemed to have nestled themselves in the back of her mind. Did other wizards really see her as less of witch, less of a person because of her parents?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So I know this chapter very much follows the book chapter exactly but I couldn't leave it out - I think it's so essential to the whole of Hermione's story. Her first time being called a Mudblood, how everyone reacts and this is how I imagine she reacted. Let me know if this is how you think she would first react to be called Mudblood? Pretty Please review xxx<strong>


	6. Birthdays and Deathdays

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_Sorry I didn't write to you at the weekend, I ended up being really busy. The first week's been great, my teachers seem really pleased with me and I've already earnt 40 house points! Mum Professor Lockhart is amazing! You definitely have to read his books at some point. He's done so much and has so many stories to tell. Ron and Harry turned up at school by the way. They'd missed the train and flew the Weasley's car all the way here; they obviously got in a lot of trouble for it. Why they didn't just send Hedwig with a note saying they missed the train I really don't know! We went to see Hagrid on Saturday – he's growing these huge pumpkins for Halloween, you wouldn't believe how big they're going to be, you would be able to sit inside them! How are things at home? I miss you guys a lot and I hope everything is okay._

_All my love_

_Hermione x_

Hermione sighed and put down her quill, glancing back at the letter she had just written. In truth she hadn't been that busy for the rest of Saturday or Sunday, she just hadn't felt like writing to her parents. Malfoy's insult still echoed in her brain and she had felt funny about writing to her Mum and Dad, especially since she had told her Dad two weeks ago that no one was mean to her because of her Muggle parentage. But it was now Monday evening and she knew her parents would be beginning to worry that no letter had come over the weekend. She sighed again and re-read the letter, biting her lip.

"Hermione?"

Hermione's head shot up, Ron who was sitting in the armchair next to her completing homework for tomorrow had spoken. Harry was off doing Quidditch practise to make up for their Saturday practise that had not happened.

"Yes?" Hermione answered, assuming he was going to ask for help with his homework.

"I …" Ron faltered, looking confused. "Are you okay about what Malfoy said to you?"

Hermione was startled, she had not expected this. "I'm fine Ron, Malfoy's just an … idiot. It doesn't matter."

"No but it does!" Ron burst out.

"What it matters than I'm Muggle-born?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowing, confused.

"No, no it-" Ron sighed, looking frustrated with himself. "It matters that you know that not everybody thinks like that."

"I know that-"

"Stop interrupting! Not all pure-bloods think like the Malfoys. My family is pure-blood and my mum once told us all when we heard that word that if we ever used it, she would lock us in the broomshed for a week! It's vile and it's something only vile people use! The stupid thing about Malfoy is it's not even like he likes and dislikes people because of their blood. If he liked all pure-bloods then me and Neville would be best chums with him but he hates us because of us, not because of our blood! And he hates you because you're much smarter than him and because you're friends with Harry so he'd hate you whether you were Muggle-born, half-blood or pure-blood. He's just disgusting!" Ron burst out.

"Ron I – " Hermione paused she was going to say something about how she was fine and it really didn't matter again, but instead the words that tumbled out her mouth was the truth that had been niggling in her mind for the last two days. "I just don't want people to judge me before they know me, to hate me before they even know me."

Ron's face softened from the mask of anger it had held. "Well, there are going to be a few people who hate you, but those people are just foul wizards like Malfoy who aren't even worth knowing,"

Hermione smiled, "That's what my dad always said to me when I was a kid and people in my first school picked on me – mean people aren't even worth knowing."

"Good, so don't even listen to a word that comes out of that stinking Slytherin's mouth about being Muggle-born." Ron exclaimed, turning his head back to his homework.

Hermione paused, touched at what Ron had said.

"Ron?" She said quietly, he murmured 'Mmm' not looking up from his work. "Thank you for trying curse Malfoy when he said … what he said."

Ron gave a dry chuckle and said "Any opportunity to try to curse that git! Just wish it had bloody worked."

Ron still didn't look up from his work and Hermione smiled, looking back down at the letter to her parents, feeling a lot better. Ron and her Dad were right, Malfoy wasn't worth bothering with. She leaned forward and grabbed an envelope off of the table near to them. She now wanted to send this letter, and she wanted to hear back from her parents because that was one of her favourite things and she wasn't going to let one stupid boy stop that.

"I'm going to take this to Owlery now, before curfew. I'll check over that homework when I get back." Hermione said to Ron, standing up with the letter to her parents.

Ron looked up and gave a goofy grin. "Thanks Hermione!"

As Hermione climbed up to the Owlery and watched as the school bird she'd selected swooped out into the fading light her thoughts played on her parents and wizards like Malfoy. Last year she had thought that most of this wizarding world she had entered was perfect, apart from the odd crazy, evil wizard like You-Know-Who. Now she was beginning to see how this world, just like the one she'd used to live in had its problems. Its prejudices, its disagreements over who was a better person based on things that sane people knew didn't matter. She was still in this deep thoughtful state when she entered the Gryffindor common room and almost didn't realise when Fred and George stepped out in front of her.

"You alright about what Malfoy said to you Hermione?" Asked George, they'd positioned themselves right in front of her so she couldn't get away.

"I'm fine guys, thanks." Hermione said, hoping this was the last time people brought it up.

"Good because we just wanted to let you know-"

"That Malfoy and his family are gits!"

"Don't even bother yourself with what he said"

Hermione paused, almost amused at how similar what they had said was to what Ron had said.

"Thanks guys." Hermione said with a smile. They nodded at her and went to sit back down, muttering about the Malfoys as they went.

As she walked towards her seat she saw that Harry had joined them for practise. Hermione pulled Ron's homework towards her as Harry and Ron began a game of chess. It was as she was slowly reading through, crossing out a few mistakes here and there that she looked up at the boys laughing together. She turned her head towards Fred and George, sitting in a corner laughing with some friends then she glanced over at Parvati and Lavender. Parvati spotted her looking and gave her a smile before turning back to her conversation with Lavender. Hermione smiled herself. It really did not matter what Malfoy had called her because in this room were people who liked her or treated her with respect and didn't care about her blood type. It didn't matter.

OOO

September rolled onwards with summer fading quickly into autumn, bringing chill breezes and scattered showers. On the 19th of September, Hermione awoke to find a small pile of presents at the foot of her bed. She smiled to herself and pulled some of the cards towards her, tearing them open and placing them on her bedside table when she'd read them. Hermione grinned as Muggle money floated out of the ones from her grandparents and her aunt. Of course they did not know this would be no use to her until the summer holidays. She slid the money safely into her trunk. It was as she was opening the presents from her parents that the rest of the girls woke up. They chorused 'Happy Birthday' at her and Parvati threw a present onto Hermione's bed from hers.

"It's just a small thing from all of us." she said, the other girls nodded.

Hermione paused in unwrapping a present from her parents and carefully opened the gift from the four girls. Out of it slid a small hair slide, silver with a few tiny blue jewels on.

"Oh thank you, it's lovely!" Hermione exclaimed

"Well we've never seen you wear anything in your hair, and this will keep it off your face quite well." Lavender said as she walked towards the bathroom.

Hermione smiled tightly back, Lavender often managed to phrase sentences so they sounded slightly insulting. Parvati shook her head slightly.

"I picked it up in this little shop where Padma and I get all our hair things from."

Parvati and Padma always wore pretty bands and the bottom of their plaits, often with a matching slide at the top.

"Well I love it, thank you." Hermione said. She really did love the colour, it was her favourite to wear.

Hemione continued to unwrap her presents, her parents had got her some new clothes including some lovely winter jumpers 'for that cold Scotland weather' read her mum's attached note. A new matching set of hat, scarf and gloves in a blue-grey colour which Hermione adored and a few new books, including this time, two Muggle books, her mums note read 'I'd just finished reading these and had to buy them for you – I loved them!'. Her Aunt and Uncle had been her only other family not to give Hermione money – they had sent her a lovely pair of shoes. They were emerald green with a few stars patterned on them. Hermione had no idea when she would wear them but they were very pretty.

Hermione smiled at her cards and presents, feeling happy before changing into some of her new clothes, sliding the new slide into her bushy culrs on the thicker side of her hair and heading downstairs into the common room. As she had woken up early she had still beaten the boys down here, however it was only a minute later they appeared carrying a wrapped present and a card each, which they both handed to her. She opened the cards and stowed them safely in her school bag before first unwrapping Harry's present. He had given her a notebook, it was bound in plain leather but was very smart, with a lovely red ribbon for marking which page you were on.

"Oh Harry, it's lovely!" she said.

He shrugged. "Thought you'd use it a lot."

"I will it's so useful." She replied, nodding

Next she moved to Ron's present, tearing back the paper to find two bars with the word Honeydukes printed on the front in a slanting script. The wrappers were vibrant purple and blue.

"It's wizard chocolate, because you'd never tasted it before and you bought me that Muggle chocolate." Ron explained.

"Brilliant! Thank you." Hermione said, smiling at the bars. Last year for Ron's birthday she had given him bars of mMuggle chocolate as they'd had a conversation a few weeks before about the difference between Muggle and wizard chocolate.

"Are you going to try some then?" Ron asked eagerly.

Hermione didn't particularly want chocolate before breakfast but Ron looked so excited that she opened up the purple bar and popped a square into her mouth. She raised her eyebrows, surprised at the different taste. It seemed to warm her as it passed down her throat.

"Well?" asked Ron.

"It's different. Less chocolaty more magical – just like you said."

He and Harry grinned and she put the chocolate and her new notebook into her bag.

"Thank you so much." She said to both of them before they headed down to breakfast together.

The rest of Hermione's day passed much the same as other days. Professor McGonogall wished her a Happy Birthday at the end of transfiguration which made her smile and to her great excitement and embarrassment, so did Professor Lockhart. Hermione had blushed furiously and the colour didn't fade from her cheeks for most of lunch. Ron had kept asking her what the matter was.

OOO

Harry had frozen, clutching the wall for support as he stared around him. He, Ron and Hermione had just left Nearly Headless Nick's Death day Party. The rest of September and all of October had passed very quickly for Hermione; she was still doing very well in lessons and writing to her parents every week. Now they had all stopped on their way up to the Great Hall.

"Harry, what're you -?" Hermione began tentatively.

"It's that voice again – shut up a minute – "

Hermione and Ron had both taken a small step towards Harry, watching his face screw in concentration and panic.

"Listen!" He exclaimed urgently. Hermione froze, straining her ears to hear this mystery voice that Harry could hear. He and Ron had mentioned the voice to her the morning after Harry detention when he had first heard it. However hard she tried though, all Hermione could hear in the silence was her own beating heart.

Harry's head slowly turned towards the ceiling above them then in a shout of "This way" and a burst of movement which made Hermione jump, Harry began to run up the staircase in front of them. Ron broke into a run to follow him and Hermione dashed after him, trying to keep up with the boys who could run a lot faster. She skidded in the entrance hall then continued to run up the marble staircase. They paused on the first floor, Hermione took a few deep breathes to try to control her breathing.

"Harry what are we –" Ron began

"SHH!" Harry hissed loudly, turning his head upwards again. Suddenly a terrified look crossed his face. "It's going to kill someone!" He shouted and set off at a run again up the next flight of stairs

Hermione glanced at Ron quickly, bewilderment was mirrored on his face, before they both set off again, Hermione panting heavily. They ran the whole length of the second floor until Harry stopped at the beginning of the last, deserted passage.

"Harry what was that all about?" Ron asked, Hermione took another deep breathe and looked down the corridor, squinting slightly. "I couldn't hear anything…"

Hermione gasped in horror as she started to discern something shining on the wall ahead. Her stomach seemed to drop in the fear that Harry really had heard something terrible happen

"_Look!" _She said, pointing down the corridor ahead.

Together the three of them approached the wall slowly. As they got closer Hermione could see that foot-high words had been written between the two windows.

_THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. _

_ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE._

"What's that thing - hanging underneath?" asked Ron with a small quiver in his voice.

Together they edged nearer and Ron and Hermione's hands flew out as Harry slipped in a large puddle of water on the floor. Both of them still clutching his arms they crept further forwards. Hermione discerned what it was and her stomach gave a horrified leap. Still clutching each other all three of them leapt back, having realised that the dark shadow beneath the words was Mrs Norris, hanging stiff as a board, her eyes wide open and staring.

They all stayed absurdly frozen for a few second before Ron muttered.

"Let's get out of here."

Hermione was more than ready to do just that. Her heart was still beating wildly in fear.

"Shouldn't we try and help-" Harry began to say.

"Trust me, we don't want to be found here." Ron replied.

But to all their horrors in was too late. A loud rumble from below told them that the feast had just ended. The distant sounds got closer and closer and hundreds of feet stomped up the stairs towards them. Then from both ends of the passage, students came crashing in. All the noise died in one sudden second as people spotted the cat and the message. Hermione heart began to beat even harder as she Ron and Harry were caught in the middle of the corridor, hundreds of eyes turning to glance from the cat to them.

"Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!"

Hermione's body seemed to chill slightly as she whipped her heard around to find the source of the shout from the crowd. Not to her surprise Draco Malfoy had pushed his way to front on the hoard of students and was grinning in the most sickening way at the sight of Mrs Norris. Hermione felt fear bristle and the back of her neck and she shuddered. Something was very, very wrong.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Dun Dun Duuuuun! so that conversation with Ron - too out of character? I just think that The Weasley's feel so strongly against families like the Malfoy's and words like Mudblood (Ron, Fred and George all tried to attack Malfoy) that Ron would try to talk to Hermione about it. I don't know :) Please review and tell me whether your likingany constructive criticism xxx**


	7. Chambers and Potions

Hermione slammed another book closed in frustration, muttering incomprehensively under her breath. She glared at the shelves round her before placing the book she'd just closed back. It was the Tuesday after the writing had been found on the wall. Hermione had been terrified after she, Harry and Ron had been taken into Lockhart's office but they had been let go without being accused of anything, much to Hermione's relief. Harry did seem to have a knack of getting them into the wrong place at the wrong time. The morning after she had rushed off to the library to take out Hogwarts: A History, remembering it had the legend of The Chamber of Secrets in it but to her utter horror, all the copies had been checked out earlier that morning. Hermione had slept late due to her, Ron and Harry staying up into the night to talk. She mentally kicked herself again for not managing to pack her copy with her. She couldn't find anything else about the legend in other books. Hermione had only read the section that included The Chamber of Secrets once very quickly as she was more interested in the factual history of the school. She was also angry at herself about that as normally she could recall information very easily. All she remembered was that it had something to do with Slytherin.

As Hermione stalked through more shelves, searching for any book that could include the legend she caught a flash of bright red hair. Doubling back she saw that Ginny Weasley was sitting alone at a small secluded table in between some shelves, looking utterly miserable. Ginny had been very distressed about Mrs Norris and now Hermione thought about it, had seemed quiet and sad for most of October too. Slowly Hermione approached her.

"Ginny?" She said quietly, drawing level with the side of her table.

Ginny looked up and Hermione could see her eyes looked tired and worried.

"Ginny are you okay."

She nodded slowly and gave a small, very quiet "Yes." before looking back down at her book, sniffing.

"I know that what happened to Mrs Norris upset you but is there anything else bothering you?" Hermione asked drawing slightly closer to her and crouching down to be at her eye level. "Because if there is something, something you don't want to tell Ron or your other brothers, you can talk to me about anything and I'll listen and try to help."

A shadow seemed to pass over Ginny's face and her lips parted ever so slightly. Hermione was sure she was going to tell her something. But just as quickly as the look had come it had gone and Ginny snapped her mouth shut. "No, everything's fine. Thank you." She said quietly

She turned her head back to her work and Hermione nodded slowly, standing up.

"You can talk to me any time if you need to Ginny." She said as she walked away.

As she glanced back she saw Ginny was staring at her, a glazed look in her eyes. Hermione sighed, she was worried something was seriously bothering Ginny. But she had done everything she could for now. Hermione continued to search the shelves around her.

The next lunchtime found Hermione in the library again, growing more and more frustrated as she hunted the books around her. She had come with Ron who was desperately trying to finish his History of Magic essay on a table nearby. Finally at ten minutes until the end of lunch she gave up and stalked back over to where Ron was sitting, who had now been joined by Harry.

"_All _The copies of _Hogwarts: A History_ have been taken out." She said, throwing herself into the chair next Ron and Harry and raking a hand through her hair in frustration. She been doing this a lot recently meaning it was growing bushier and bushier by the hour. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I _wish _I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

"Why do you want it?" Harry asked, rolling up his History of Magic essay.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," explained Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"What's that?" asked Harry

"That's just it I can't remember. And I can't find the story anywhere else…"

"Hermione let me read your composition," said Ron, finally looking up at them after checking his watch.

Hermione frowned crossly, annoyed at him. "No I won't, you've had ten days to finish it."

"I only need another two inches, go on…"

The bell rang and Hermione stood up and started to sweep out the library.

"It's not fair, you've done loads, and you could just give me a tiny bit of yours." Ron said, hurrying to her side.

"How is it not fair just because I do my homework on time and you don't? I'm happy to check over your work Ron but's it's your own fault if you haven't finished it in time!"

"I could get a detention now!" Ron burst out angrily.

"And whose fault would that be – not mine." Hermione answered viciously, he could be so idiotic sometimes. He always got himself into trouble and didn't want to admit it was his own fault.

Beside her Ron spluttered a bit, trying to think of an answer. But thankfully they arrived at History of Magic and Hermione sat down heavily. She got out her notebook and stared resolutely forward. Ron didn't have time to say anything else to her and Hermione began her usual routine of taking notes. Her mind usually wondered slightly as she did this as Professor Binns was very boring but for the most part she managed to stay alert enough to copy down the main points of everything he was saying, unlike everybody else. Today though an idea started to enter her head. An idea of how to get the answers she wanted from someone who would know them, even if he wouldn't want to tell them. After considering she really couldn't get into any trouble for asking a simple question, Hermione stuck her hand in the air.

Hermione's mind would not stop whirring. Slytherin had wanted to rid the school of Muggle-borns so badly that there was some of monster that would kill them. It was barbaric. Hermione couldn't decide whether she believed it or not. As she Ron and Harry hunted for clues in the corridor where Mrs Norris had been petrified and went to talk to Moaning Myrtle Hermione thought about the people that could possibly hate muggle-borns so much that they wanted them dead. The idea made her shiver and even by the evening she couldn't concentrate on her homework. Therefore when Ron slammed his book shut, Hermione gave up and followed suit. She allowed the thoughts which had been running around her head all day to be spoken out loud.

"Who could it be though? Who'd _want _all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

Ron's face took on a look of sarcasm. "Let's think," He said, cocking his head to one side. "Who do we know that thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?"

He turned to her a quirked a brow upwards. Hermione knew who he was talking about but she really didn't believe that Malfoy had the mind capabilities to do something like that.

"If you're talking about Malfoy…"

"Of course I am!" said Ron. "You heard him: '_You'll be next mudbloods!' _Come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him –"

"Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione. She knew that Malfoy was utterly horrid but would he really release a monster to kill people?

"Look at his family," said Harry, closing his book to join in the conversation. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin, he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."

"They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron, growing excited. "Handing it down, father to son…"

Hermione still didn't really believe that Malfoy could be the heir but she could see that it would fit. "Well, I suppose it's possible…"

"But how do we prove it?" asked Harry.

An idea sparked in Hermione's mind and, as ideas often did in Hermione's brain, developed quickly into a plan. She spoke slowly as her mind whirred fast.

"There might be a way." Hermione glanced across at Percy, not wanting him to hear, and leaned slightly closer to the boys. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect."

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" Ron said irritably.

Hermione glared at him. Could he not see she was only just working this out for herself? "All right. What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realising it's us."

"But that's impossible." Harry said and Ron laughed. Hermione grew more annoyed at him.

"No it's not. All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion." She said, revealing her plan.

"What's that?" They both asked. Hermione sighed – really did they ever listen!

"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago-"

"D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron. Hermione felt about ready to storm off in annoyance but she was so excited about her plan that she kept going, this could really work.

"It transforms you into somebody else. Think about it! We could change into three of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron sceptically. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins for ever?"

"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, impatiently waving her hand as her brain further thought of how to go about making the potion. "But getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called _Moste Potente Potions _and it's bound to be in the restricted section of the library."

"Hard to see why we'd want the book really," said Ron. "If we weren't going to try to make one of the potions."

Hermione thought of Professor Lockhart, he liked her as a pupil and there was a good chance he'd sign it for her. "I think, that if we make it sound as though were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance…"

"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that. They'd have to be really thick…"

"Can you honestly think he's so amazing now Hermione, I mean seriously?"

It was the day after Harry's Quidditch match and Ron and Hermione were walking through the castle after an early breakfast. They intended to go back to Gryffindor common room to pick up a few books then head down to pick up Harry from the hospital wing. They had begun to bicker a few minutes ago about Professor Lockhart.

"He made a little mistake, are you telling me you never make mistakes?" Hermione retorted as they rounded a corner together.

"Not on that proportion. It's the fact he just pretends he know everything Hermione! He's just a lying git who…"

"SHHHH!" Hermione cut Ron off, grabbed his arm and pulled him into a nook with a suit of armour.

"Hermione! Is there any particular reason why we're…"

Hermione clamped a hand over his mouth a pointed to the corner they had been just about to round, where now that Ron was quiet she could properly hear what Professor McGonogall and Professor Flitwick were saying.

"Wait Minerva, say that again, what's happened!" said Flitwick.

It's Colin Creevey, a first year in my house he's been … he's been petrified!" Professor McGonogall whispered.

"When?"

"Late last night. We think he'd been on his way to visit Potter in the hospital wing."

"And is he muggle-born?" Flitwick asked, his voice horrified.

"Yes, I went and told him he was coming to Hogwarts at the beginning of this year. His father's a milkman" Professor McGonogall's voice shook slightly.

"Oh the poor poor boy! What are we going to do? What did Albus say?"

"That the Chamber of Secrets really has been opened again!" Professor McGonogall sounded more emotional than Hermione had ever heard her.

There was silence for a moment. Flitwick seemed to be digesting what McGonogall had said.

"Dear Merlin!" He sighed. "Have you had breakfast yet, come you must eat something."

Their voices grew fainter as they disappeared down the corridor. Hermione turned to face Ron, her eyes wide. Apprehension was also reflected back in his. They were both silent for a moment before Hermione felt anger bubbling up in her and she burst out,

"How, HOW could somebody do this. Colin's eleven years old, he wouldn't hurt a fly and somebody tried to kill him because he's Muggle-born!"

Ron stepped out of the nook and folded his arms looking thoughtful.

"But we can catch him Hermione, the Polyjuice Potion. If we find out it's Malfoy we can report him before anybody else get hurt."

Hermione noted Ron's greater interest in the plan now and nodded.

"Let's start it now. Harry can find us or we'll catch up with him at lunchtime. I want to catch Malfoy if it's him."

Ten minutes later after running up to Gryffindor tower to get their basic potion ingredients and a cauldron Ron and Hermione walked into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They couldn't see or hear Myrtle anywhere which was a relief. Hermione led the way into a cubicle furthest away from the one Myrtle usually inhabited and locked the door behind them. She handed Ron all the ingredients she was holding and bent down over the toilet.

"_caeruleum flammula" _she muttered and blue flames shot out the end of her wand, landing in the toilet.

"_Engorgio_," The flames grew in size until they were substantial enough to heat the bottom of the cauldron.

Hermione stood up and Ron placed the cauldron on top of the flames, balancing it on the toilet. They both put their bags down on the floor and Hermione pulled out _Moste Potente Potions_ which she balanced on the cistern.

"This is really professional looking by the way." said Ron grinning.

Hermione shot him a look of annoyance but couldn't hold it for long and ended up cracking a smile, really it did all look ridiculous.

"Firstly we need to add 7 pounds of torn fluxweed to boiling water. "_Agumenti" _Hermione said, pointing her wand into the cauldron.

Ron began to measure out the fluxweed whilst Hermione watched the water begin to boil. Ron tore it up into small bits and threw it in.

"Stir eleven times anticlockwise," Hermione did so with her wand.

"Wait till the water turns a clear green shade,"

Hermione leaned back against the wall of the cubicle, Ron doing the same on the other side. Just as she was about to say something, a voice sounded from the toilet outside.

"It's me." Ron jolted in fright, hitting the toilet making a large clunking noise and causing the water in the cauldron to splash about. Hermione gasped loudly. She quickly bent down to peer through the keyhole and saw Harry looking back at her.

"_Harry_!" She said, unlocking the door to let him in. "You gave us such a fright. Come in – how's your arm?"

"Fine," said Harry as he squeezed himself into the cubicle – it was a tight fit now with all three of them in.

"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion. We've decided this is the safest place to hide it," Ron explained.

"There's something I need to tell you. Last night Colin…"

"We already know, we heard Professor McGonogall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we better get going –" Interupted Hermione, watching as the potion turned a clear green colour and leaning over the read the next line of instructions.

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," Ron said angrily. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."

Hermione had begun to tear up bundles of knotgrass and throw them into the potion. Ron was now leaning over to read the potions instructions. Harry went on to reveal that Dobby had been to see him last night and that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before. The three of them continued to discuss this and the theory of Malfoy being the heir of Slytherin for hours whilst they brewed the potion.

It was two weeks later when Hermione was in the girls toilets in between lessons that she found out something crucial to their plan. Hermione had been about to leave her cubicle when she heard Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass, two Slytherin girls who Hermione heartily disliked enter the toilet.

"So I'm still trying to persuade my mum to let me stay here for Christmas, but she's just not having it. Says I have to come home to spend it with the family!" Pansy said in her annoying screechy voice.

"Wait, why would you even want to stay here over Christmas?" answered Daphne. "I thought you wanted to go home for a bit and last year you said that the people that stay over Christmas are losers"

"Have you not heard?"

"Heard what Pansy?"

"Draco's staying here over Christmas?" she said

"Why?"

"I don't know, he didn't say but how amazing would it be to stay, I'd get to spend so much time with him, alone without everyone else." Pansy sounded sickening to Hermione

"Not if stupid Crabbe and Goyle are with him the whole time."

They carried on talking as they went into separate cubicles and Hermione unlocked her door, quickly washed her hands and rushed to charms desperate to find Ron and Harry. She almost ran headfirst into them as they stood outside the door to their classroom.

"I've got something really important to tell you." She said as she skidded to a halt in front of them, they had both reached out their arms to catch her as she wobbled to a halt.

"What?" They asked in unison

"Malfoy! He's staying in the castle for Christmas!" She whispered excitedly.

"What! But last year he was boasting about how pants Christmas was here and how he felt sorry for everyone who had to stay!" scoffed Ron.

"I know that's why it's important. Don't you think it's suspicious that he wants to stay?"

They glanced at each other, and nodded quickly.

"Very suspicious!" said Harry.

"So we can do the Polyjuice Potion over Christmas! They'll be less people around so it'll be easier and it will be ready by then." Ron said excitedly

Hermione faltered. That had been her idea too but it wasn't until Ron said it that she realised that would mean not going home to see her parents for Christmas. The thought made her heart ache.

"Well obviously I wasn't going to go back to the Dursely's anyway." said Harry, smiling.

"Yeah and mum and dad have just said they're going to Eygpt to visit Bill and me, Fred and George already talked about not going with them, you know save them some money and it'll be more fun here with us lot than in Eygpt." Ron agreed, nodding enthusiastically.

They both turned to look at her expectantly.

"You alright with not going home?" asked Ron.

Hermione's honest answer was no, but then she thought about poor Colin Creevey, lying petrified in the hospital, not even getting an option to where he went for Christmas. Some things were more important.

"Of course." She answered.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Quite a long one this one - hope you enjoyed :) Remember to review, it really helps me!<strong>


	8. A Christmas Nightmare

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I'm so so sorry but I won't be coming home this Christmas. I've got so much work to do as I want to get the best marks again and it's so hard to do work from home. I'm also doing an extra-curricular project to do with advanced Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts and I want to complete a lot of it over Christmas so it doesn't get in the way of my exams. I really need to use the library for it and use lots of potion ingredients I can only get in school. I wish I could drop everything for three weeks and come and spend the holidays with you but I just can't. I won't be alone, all of the teacher stay and Harry and all the Weasley's are staying so I'll have lots of company. I hope you're okay with this._

_I'm sorry and I miss you so much, I can't wait until June when I see you._

_All my love_

_Hermione x_

Hermione took a shuddering breathe as she finished the letter. She didn't want to read over it so quickly stuffed it in an envelope. She hadn't expected to get so upset writing the letter but realising that she truly wouldn't see her parents for another six months gave her a tangible pain in her chest. The thought of their reactions also worried her too.

"You alright?" Ron asked, throwing down his quill and looking at her. He had just redone all the corrections Hermione had given him on a Transfiguration essay. Harry was at Quidditch practise

"Yes. I just wrote the letter to my parents saying I won't be coming home for Christmas, that's all."

"Will they be upset?" Ron said, leaning back in his chair and stretching.

"A bit, remember I'm an only child so they'll be on their own for Christmas." Hermione explained, trying not to get upset again.

Ron nodded, seeming to understand. He didn't offer any words of comfort – Hermione didn't really know what there was to say really but after a few moments of comfortable silence he asked.

"Want to play a game of chess?"

Hermione nodded, keen to take her mind of the letter. Chess frustrated her but she'd been determined since last year that one day she'd beat Ron.

OOO

Mrs Granger's once weekly screech of 'an owl' broke the quiet talk at the breakfast table on Sunday morning. Mr Granger smiled as he always did and went to take the letter from the small tawny owl that had come today, giving it a small piece of his bacon rind as he did. He then sat back down at the table and slit open the letter, happy at the prospect of hearing his beloved daughters words – his favourite part of the week. As he read however, his brow furrowed and his stomach seemed to drop. When he had finished he held the letter out with some trepidation to his wife.

"David what's wrong, what does she say?" Mrs Granger's voice grew panicked and she took the letter cautiously.

Mr Granger watched as his wife's eyes filled with tears. He himself felt a sadness he hadn't felt since Hermione had first left to go to Hogwarts over a year ago. Their only daughter felt like she was slightly out his reach and there was no way he could pull her back. Mr Granger had no doubt of her love for them, off that he was certain but he felt frustration for the first time at her work ethic. Could she not risk losing a few marks to spend three weeks with them rather than not seeing them for over nine months. Mr Granger shook his head, of course she couldn't – this was Hermione he was talking about and her incredible work ethic was one of the many reasons he loved her so dearly. He snapped out of this own thoughts when he realised that Susan had finished the letter and was staring into her tea, a few tears trickling down her face. He stood up and walked to stand beside her, kneeling down and wrapping his long arms around her.

"Nine months David, Nine! She's only thirteen. I just miss her so much already." She said her voice breaking.

"I know dear, I know." He murmured, leaning his head against his wife's shoulder.

The owl waiting patiently for a lot longer than they normally had to for a reply. It took a while for the Grangers to find the strength and control to form words that wouldn't make their beautiful daughter feel guilty about choosing her studies over them.

OOO

The remainder of November and the beginning of December brought icy blasts to the castle, the ground froze and people breathe rose in mists around them if they stepped outside. It was Thursday in the second week of December and Hermione's heart was beating wildly in her chest. She was waiting for a suitable time in the lesson to create a diversion to sneak ingredients out of Snape's store cupboard. If Hermione was caught she knew that she would be in serious trouble. They probably wouldn't expel her but she'd suffer losing house points, detention and Snape's wrath – none of which she particularly wanted. Hermione despised breaking so many school rules but it was again of Colin Creevey lying immobile in the hospital wing that she thought of. It was as most people Swelling Solutions were at a point where they would work and Snape had turned his back on their desk to bully poor Neville that Hermione nodded at Harry.

Hermione watched as he ducked down behind the desk, trying to take deep breathes and keep calm. With the quick reflexes of a seeker Harry lobbed one of Fred's Fillibuster fireworks at Goyle's cauldron, causing the potion to explode and shower those in the vicinity. Hermione started to back away from her desk, keeping her eyes fixed on Snape. She continued to back quickly away until she had reached the door and she quietly slipped out. Heart still beating wildly Hermione ran to Snape office across the corridor, bolting into his private store cupboard and pulling the door slightly behind her. Knowing she only had minutes she began to search the labelled shelves swiftly, her eyes darting in all directions. She spotted the box labelled '_Bicorn horns'_ – inside it was split into two sections – whole and powdered. Hermione grabbed one of the pouches of powder and shoved the box back on the shelf, her eyes searching again. To her dismay the box labelled '_Skin of Boomslang'_ was on a high shelf. She pulled a stool out from behind the door and climbed quickly grabbing a bag of shredded skin. To her horror she realised there were only two bags in there meaning Snape would definitely realise one was missing. Hermione had no time to dwell on this though and stuffing both bags up her the front of her robes, she sprinted back to the classroom, sliding though the door and into her seat in one fluid motion. Then, trying to move as little as possible, Hermione transferred the ingredients into her bag and sat back up straight, arranging her features into what she hoped was a picture of confusion.

She felt Ron lead in towards her. "That was awesome." he muttered under his breath. Hermione gave a smile which she quickly wiped from her face. To be honest, it had felt pretty exhilarating.

OOO

Term ended suddenly, with all the bustle of the school vanishing in the space of a few hours. The double petrifaction of Justin Finch-Fletchly and Nearly Headless Nick had caused a lot of panic in the school. Hermione herself had now begun to have a niggling fear in her mind – she was Muggle-born and thus was actually in real danger of getting hurt. She tried to push this from her thoughts though, concentrating on the Polyjuice Potion. Hermione ended up being the only person left in her dormitory which, whilst nice to have a lot of privacy, was slightly lonely. In comparison, her days were anything but lonely. So many people in Gryffindor had gone home that Hermione, Harry and the Weasley's essentially had the run of Gryffindor tower. They all spent enjoyable days playing loud games of exploding snap, wizards chess and practising duelling. Even Ginny who had appeared so sad the last few months, really seemed to enjoy herself with just her brothers for company. Although still shy she laughed with them and watched they're games, occasionally joining in. Although she would blush furiously if Harry ever spoke to her. Every day Hermione was checking on the Polyjuice Potion, happy at its progress.

On Christmas day Hermione awoke very early to find a stack of presents at the foot of her bed. Hermione parents must have sent the ones from her family on for them. From her grandparents she received a lovely photograph album made of blue and green felt. Her Aunt who lived in Manchester had given her a new set of pyjamas that were bright red and silky. They reminded Hermione of the Gryffindor colours. Her Aunt and Uncle had sent her a stationary and letter writing set. Hermione reminded herself to send her thank you note on their stationary and not her parchment. Mrs Weasley had sent her a homemade plum cake which Hermione thought was very kind of her. Finally she unwrapped the presents from her parents, the main one being a new leather schoolbag. As she looked at the all the little gifts like a small hand mirror and a tiny toy owl that her parents had sent her, her heart ached. If she was home right now they would've had the afternoon where they decorated the house together and this morning they'd all be sitting round the Christmas tree in their pyjamas opening presents. Today she missed her parents more than she had in a long time.

Trying to distract herself Hermione began to get dressed. Harry and the Weasley's would all be wearing their Weasely Christmas jumpers today which Ron had once told her about and she sometimes saw them wearing. As she would be spending the day with them Hermione pulled out one of her favourite jumpers. It wasn't handmade but it was cream with fairilse patterning round the neck, base and sleeves and felt very Christmassy. Hermione then pulled on a plain black skirt and tights and was about to pull on her everyday black shoes when she thought of the green shoes her Aunt and Uncle had got her for her Birthday. She hadn't had an opportunity to wear them yet and her family had always had a tradition of dressing nicely on Christmas day. With this in mind she put them on then proceeded to pull half her hair back away from her face, clipping it with the slide the girls had got her for Christmas and letting the under half hang down. Hermione never normally did any hairstyles on her hair as they were just too much effort. But surveying herself in their bathroom mirror Hermione felt a small sense of pride in her appearance which she didn't normally have. Sure her hair still looked bushy and her front teeth were still overly large but today she felt just a little bit pretty. Feeling slightly more cheered Hermione checked her watch. It was still very early and the boys definitely wouldn't be up yet. Therefore she headed out of Gryffindor tower and towards Myrtle's bathroom.

The school was as silent as the grave as she traced the familiar path down to the second floor. It felt slightly eerie and yet relaxing. When she arrived in the bathroom she could hear Myrtle sobbing in her cubicle. At the sound of the door closing Myrtle called out.

"Who's there?"

"It's just Hermione again," She said, walking to the cubicle where the potion was.

Myrtle gave a little 'oh' then continued to sob. She was very used to Hermione and the boy's presence now. Hermione looked down into the potion and smiled, it was exactly as the penultimate instruction described it should look. Still with trepidation, Hermione added the last five pounds of lacewings in and stirred seven times clockwise, crossing the fingers on her other hand. To her intense relief the potion turned to its final think mud-like consistency that the book described. It was finished! Hermione put out the flames beneath the cauldron and hurried back to the Gryffrindor tower, only stopping in her room for a second to grab Ron and Harry's presents. She jogged back down her stairs and into the boy's dormitory, noting that she'd never actually been in here before. It was the same as the girls but the windows faced in a different direction and the boy's choice in décor was different. Hermione looked at Ron's bright orange Chudley Cannons posters and Harry's couple of clippings and pictures as she crossed the room to the curtains she also glanced at the boys, looking so peaceful in sleep. She grinned at what she was about to do.

"Wake up!" She said loudly, pulling back the curtains she had reached and letting the beautiful morning light flood the room.

Ron rolled over and threw his arms over his eyes. "Hermione – you're not supposed to be in here,"

Hermione grinned, feeling happy. "Merry Christmas to you too," she said, throwing his present at him, he seemed to cheer up at the rude awakening as he caught it. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the Potion. It's ready."

Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Hermione said, walking over to Harry's bed and, after moving Scabbers, sitting down cross legged on the end. She handed Harry his present. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

Ron was also now sitting up and the three of them continued to chat happily as the boys ripped open their presents. To her relief both boys seemed to like their eagle-feather quills she had bought them. They had been quite expensive but Hermione barely spent money on anything and didn't have a lot of people to buy presents for. She had got the idea after seeing Gilderoy Lockhart signing books in Flourish and Blotts – she knew neither of the boys had anything very luxurious and had thought it was a good idea. Ron's pile of presents took a lot longer to open than Harry's so whilst they were waiting for him Harry handed Hermione her present. He had given her a book called _Advanced Charms: More spells than you knew you had tasks _which Hermione opened with great interest straight away, thanking Harry. When Ron had finally finished his presents and had begun tucking in to a mince pie he chucked Hermione her present. She opened it to find a set of Wizard's chess pieces. She felt touched as she always used Harry's pieces when she played.

"They're not new," Ron said quickly "We found them at the back of a cupboard this summer. Everyone in our family who plays chess has their own set so no one wanted them. Mum reckons they're her brother Fabian's old set."

Hermione knew that moth Mrs Weasley's brothers had died during You-Know-Who's reign. "You sure she doesn't want them?" Hermione asked

"Nope, they're all yours." Ron said, biting into another mince pie.

"Thank you Ron, that's really kind." She said quietly, looking down at the chess pieces, they looked old and slightly battered but she was happy to have a set of her own.

"No problem. Now are you going to leave so me and Harry can get dressed?"

Hermione laughed and headed back to her dormitory, carefully putting away her new presents. After her, the Weasley's and Harry had had breakfast (where Hermione had stolen two chocolate cakes) She headed back to Myrtle's bathroom. There she filled the chocolate cakes with a Sleeping Draught she had bottled subtly when they'd made it in Snape's class a few weeks ago, having already worked out that they needed a way to keep the real Slytherin's out of the way whilst they were impersonating them. When she arrived back in the Common Room it was to find everyone in high spirits, shouting, laughing and playing games. Hermione joined in until lunch when they all headed down together to the most sumptuous feast she had ever laid eyes upon. The Great Hall was decorated lavishly with twelve huge Christmas trees, streamers of real holly and mistletoe and fake snow falling from the ceiling. The teachers were in high spirits with Dumbledore leading Christmas carols. The food was like nothing Hermione had ever seen – huge stuffed Turkeys, joints of beef and pork, mountains of roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips and all the Christmas trimmings. The Weasley's laughed and joked, pulled crackers and sang and Hermione felt she was part of a huge family Christmas.

After a few hours and when Hermione had become so stuffed that she couldn't eat another bite long ago she pulled Harry and Ron away from their food and out of the Hall to finalise the plans for their evening's adventures. Afterwards they went back to the Gryffindor Common room and enjoyed one of the most hilarious games of charades Hermione had ever played. It was halfway through when Percy realised that Fred and George had bewitched his prefect badge to say 'Pinhead' and the ensuing chase around the Gryffindor tower accompanied by Percy's blustering yells left Hermione crying with laughter and clutching her ribs in pain. Ron actually slid onto the floor it fits of giggles.

Hermione ate Christmas tea quickly then bolted off to the second floor to check on the potion and wait for the boys. After about half an hour they appeared. Hermione had become shiny-face from leaning over the potion so much to check it – her hair which had been so neat at the beginning of the day was now wiry and very bushy.

"Did you get them?" she asked breathlessly. The boys each held up Crabbe and Goyle's hair triumphantly. After giving them their bigger robes and checking the potion for a final time Hermione carefully measured it out into three tumblers. Then with trembling hands she took out the long hair she had picked of Millicent Bullstrode's robes and added it to the potion. It hissed and frothed then turned a sick coloured yellow. Hermione shuddered, hoping against hope she had done everything right. The boys added theirs then left her alone with the cauldron to take separate cubicles.

"Ready?" Harry's voice called from next to her.

"Ready," Hermione called back, her stomach clenching in fear

"One…two…three…"

Hermione held her nose and raised the potion to her lips, taking three large gulps to swallow it all. It tasted vile and Hermione coughed loudly. Her insides began to writhe and she fell to her knees, clutching the toilet for support. Her stomach began to burn and she felt the feeling spread to her fingers and toes, she curled up into a ball in pain as her skin began to feel like it was melting. It was then that Hermione began to realise something was very very wrong. Before her eyes hair began to grow over her arms and her whole face prickled uncomfortably. She felt a bursting sensation above her ears and to her horror, pain erupted at the base of her spine, nearly making her cry out. Hermione hadn't felt so scared since Harry had gone to face Quirrel and Ron wouldn't wake up after the Chess game at the end of last year. Her breathing quickened and she felt sweat break out. Her whole body felt boiling hot and as the horrible changing sensations suddenly stopped, Hermione realised with utter horror that her entire body was covered in hair. Very slowly she sat up and leaned against the toilet behind her, trying desperately to keep calm and not scream. Hermione heard two deep male voices which she knew were Harry and Ron as Crabbe and Goyle but she didn't listen to what they were saying, her mind was too busy racing round in a panic. Hermione jumped violently when a loud banging started on her toilet door.

"C'mon, we need to go…" shouted Crabbe's voice.

"I –I don't think I'm going to come after all," Said Hermione, her voice high-pitched in fear. She tried to answer them as calmly as possible "You go on without me."

"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you." said Crabbe, sounding bewildered.

"No – really – I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up, you're wasting time." Hermione clutched at her knees, wishing they'd leave.

Hermione heard Ron as Crabbe say something in a low voice then Goyle's voice sounded through the door.

"Hermione, are you OK?"

"Fine – I'm fine … Go on…" Hermione voice broke slightly as she spoke and she took a deep breathe, trying to steady herself.

"We'll meet you back here, all right?" Harry said

To Hermione's intense relief, she heard the door swing shut as they left. She took a few deep breathes then stood up, cautiously she raised a hand to her face and nearly screamed. Her entire face was covered in fur. Hermione knew she had to look at herself and she very slowly unlocked the cubicle door, closing her eyes she stepped out and turned towards the sinks. She slowly counted to three then opened her eyes. The sight of her reflection really did make her scream. Her entire face was covered in black hair which Hermione could feel covered most of her body, petering out over her hands. The eyes that started back at her were bright yellow and two pointed ears poked through her mane of bushy hair. To Hermione utter horror she also saw a tail swinging behind her. Hermione felt her Christmas tea rise up in her throat and she ran to the sinks, splattering sick everywhere. Tears started to fall down her face and uncontrollable sobs wracked her body. Hermione was someone who cried a lot but never in her memory had she cried like this – the sobs were loud and broke, jerking her body. Tears fell so fast that they wet the hair covering Hermione face and her eyes darted round in horror, trying to get away from the sight of her terrible body.

A gasp sounded from behind her and Hermione whipped around, blinking frantically. Moaning Myrtle was floating in front of her and Hermione had never seen her look so gleeful.

"Ohhhh, what happened to you?" Giggled Mytrle, her eyes wide and staring.

"P – P –Polyjuice Potion … it must have been cat's hair I added!" Cried Hermione

Myrtle laughed loudly and Hermione bolted back to her cubicle, slamming the door behind her. She fell down onto the floor and curled up again, sobbing until her head pounded and her eyes could produce no more tears. Time didn't seem to matter as even through her closed eyes Hermione could see her own terrifying reflection in the mirror and feel the fur covering her face. She lay for a while, absolutely still, not having any desire to move or talk ever again.

Hermione sat upright in terror as she heard Harry and Ron enter the bathroom.

"Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time," she heard Ron pant. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoy's drawing room."

Hermione started to cry again. An hour was up and Hermione hadn't changed back – she was stuck like this and the boys were going to have to see her.

A hammering started on her cubicle door. "Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you –"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked, desperate for them not to see her, for her to just stay here forever.

"What's the matter? You must be back to normal by now we are…"

But Ron was interrupted by Myrtle who had joined the boys.

"Oooooooh, wait till you see, it's_ awful_!"

Knowing that she had to come out Hermione stood up, her knees shaking. She buried her face in her robes and slid the lock back, stepping out and sobbing.

"What's up?" asked Ron uncertainty. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

Hermione gave a shuddering sob and dropped her robes down, lifting up her face. With no surprise she watched as Harry's face dropped and Ron actually backed off into the sink. Hermione started to cry heavily again, her body shaking and her voice howling.

"It was c-cat hair! M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the P-Potion isn't made for animal transformations!

"Uh oh," said Ron, Hermione buried her face in her robes again.

"You'll be teased something _dreadful," _Myrtle said happily.

"It's OK, Hermione," Said Harry and she felt a tentative hand patting her arm. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many question…"

"No, I'm not going anywhere!" Hermione sobbed, crying if it was possible, even harder.

"You can't stay here Hermione, and Madam Pomfrey will give you something and you'll be back to normal in no time." Ron said, taking small steps towards her.

Hermione shook her pounding head and cried. It took a long time for the boys needling her but finally Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, her robes covering her head. Harry had put an arm round her shoulders and Ron had put one round her waist – not only for comfort but also to stop her turning back. Like this they walked all the way up to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey stood in front of them, waiting for Hermione to drop the robes from her face again. When she did, Madam Pomfrey eyes grew round as saucers and her mouth opened in an 'oh' shape.

"Miss Granger … What did you do?" She asked her voice shocked. Hermione began to cry again and shook her head, looking down at her feet.

"Are you two going to tell me what's happened here?"

She felt Ron and Harry both shake their heads and Madam Pomfrey sighed angrily.

"Come on then Miss Granger, let's check out the damage and get you some pyjamas for the night. You two can leave now." The last sentence aimed at Harry and Ron.

Hermione's head shot up and she looked at both of them.

"You'll be fine Hermione, we'll come and see you tomorrow." Said Harry, squeezing her shoulder and withdrawing his arm. Ron also took away his and nodded.

Hermione spent most of that night crying, curled up in bed and wishing she was at home with her Mum and Dad.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Not 100% happy with this chapter but wanted to put it up anyway. Poor old Hermione turning herself into a cat! Please review x<strong>


	9. Two very special cards

When Hermione awoke the next morning it was to her dismay that she found her face still covered in fur and a tail still sprouting from her lower back – some of her had held out hope it had all been a terrible dream. Madam Pomfrey informed her that the process of getting her back to normal could take a long time – quite possibly a month. Hermione hung her head, now growing angry with herself. How could she have been so stupid? And now she was going to miss the beginning of the new terms lessons! She felt idiotic and stewed for the rest of the morning until Harry and Ron came to see her, laden down with her things.

"We got Ginny to get some of your stuff," Ron said, placing things in her bedside table for her.

They had brought her toiletries, a few books including the new book Harry had got her for Christmas and some of Lockhart's, her hairbrush and not only Mrs Weasley's plum cake but also a selection of the treats she had sent all he children.

"These are you Christmas presents though!" exclaimed Hermione, looking at the mince pies, the fudge and the other assortments of goodies. "I can't take these!"

Ron shrugged. "Everyone wanted to give them to you, and besides mum always sends us loads so we've still got lots more left."

Hermione smiled sadly. It was very kind of everyone but she could not snap out of her unhappy mood.

"Well we just came to drop that lot off, we'll be back in the evening for a proper visit." said Harry.

Hermione nodded. "Are you going to tell me what happened with Malfoy?"

They nodded enthusiastically then left her. Hermione sighed and picked up her new charms book. She lost track of time as she read and she was so absorbed that she did not notice Professor McGonogall had entered the room until she was at the foot of her bed.

"Oh Miss Granger!" She said, sighing.

Hermione head sprang up and looked into her disappointed Professor's face. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes again as waves of shame rolled over her. She wiped at her eyes hurriedly and tried to smile.

"Hello Professor," she said sadly, not succeeding in stopping the tears from sliding down her hairy face.

Professor McGonogall sighed and drew up a chair next to Hermione's bed. Silently she magicked a tea tray out of thin air and poured them both tea. As she handed Hermione her cup she surveyed her face with sad eyes.

"When Madam Pomfrey sent me a message this morning that you were here my first thought was you'd been petrified. I was very worried." She paused and surveyed Hermione again over the rim of her cup. "Are you going to tell me how you've ended up like this?"

Hermione shook her head, more tears leaking out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," She whispered.

She had expected Professor McGonogall to yell, to demand Hermione tell her how she had half turned herself into a cat. But instead she just sighed again looking around her.

"Oh, is that plum cake?" She asked suddenly, pointing at the open tin on Hermione's bedside table.

"Yes, Mrs Weasley made it for me for Christmas." Hermione said in surprise

"Oh then we'll have some with our tea,"

There was a pause in the conversation.

"Professor?" asked Hermione tentatively. "Aren't you angry at me?"

Professor McGonogall seemed to regard her for a long time, her mouth pursed in its usual thin line. Finally she put down her tea and cake.

"No Miss Granger, I'm not angry. Whatever you've done to yourself must have been done with magic I wouldn't have thought capable of a second year. I wish you'd tell me how you've done this, but I'm not angry."

Hermione nodded, relaxing now she knew that her professor wasn't angry. It still felt very odd to be sitting in the hospital wing having tea and cake though.

"Are you going to write to my Mum and Dad?" Hermione asked, suddenly worried.

"No. You're not in any lasting pain or damage and you're only in the hospital wing to wait and help your appearance clear up. You'll still be able to do some work. I see no reason to write to them." She answered sipping her tea again.

"Thank you," said Hermione. "And I will keep up with my schoolwork, I promise I won't fall behind."

Professor McGonogall gave a tiny thin lipped smile then turned her head to observe Colin, Justin and Nearly Headless Nick lying in beds opposite and down from Hermione. They ley almost comically immobile in the positions they had been petrified. Professor McGonogall sighed again and turned back to Hermione.

"How do you feel," she asked "About the attacks?"

"I was worried after Justin and Nick got petrified," admitted Hermione, tearing her eyes away from them. "I just didn't know before this year that people would do things like this just because someone's got muggle parents."

Well as the years go by the mentality that pure-bloods are better is dying out. It's a very evil person that's chosen to do this and they will be punished extremely severely." Professor McGonogall said.

They both sat in silence for a while, thinking as they ate their cake and drank their tea. Once she was finished Professor McGonogall stood up.

"I'll leave you now. I hope to see you back to normal soon Miss Granger."

Hermione thanked her and watched as she left the hospital wing, feeling ever so marginally better.

That evening Harry and Ron came by and the three of them spent a long time discussing the things Malfoy had said. Hermione was disappointed that all they're planning had come to nothing and that they hadn't uncovered the heir of Slytherin. It made the situation she had got herself in seem even more pointless.

OOO

Time wore on in the hospital wing and as each day more hairs disappeared off her face, the more Hermione felt happy. She had written to her parents, explaining that she'd had a lovely Christmas and completely ignoring the fact that she was now living in the Hospital Wing. Their replies about their Christmas made Hermione feel sad that she'd missed it but very happy to read their words – it was getting quiet boring sitting here day after day with no one for company.

Hermione had not known that all the students were back from Christmas until the day afterwards when she heard multiple voices outside the Hospital Wing door after breakfast. She turned her head to see a great number of students standing outside, trying to peer through the gap in the doors. She heard gasps and whispers as she looked at them and quickly turned away. Seeing her distress Madam Pomfrey came and chivvied them away. However this continued throughout the day, the numbers only increasing after lunch-time so Madam Pomfrey brought out the movable bed curtains and placed them around the side of Hermione's bed that faced the door. Hermione had become so distressed she had cried again.

As soon as lessons began again Hermione instructed Ron and Harry (who visited her every evening) that they must bring her all the homework they got set. She was very pleased to have something to do all day and actually looked forward to doing it. Two days into the new term starting, Madam Pomfrey brought her an envelope along with her breakfast. Hermione had received quite a few Get Well Cards all of which she had put up on her bedside table. She ripped open this one, wondering who it could be from. It was a thick golden card with a picture of a glorious bunch of flowers on the front. Hermione opened it with interest at read:

'_To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honourary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award'_

Hermione blushed furiously as she read the card, her heart fluttering and her stomach filling with butterflies. It was so thoughtful of him, so kind. It was such a lovely, expensive looking card too. And he had written just to her! Hermione's stomach didn't stop summersaulting for hours and as she got ready for bed she finally let go of the card, tucking it beneath her pillow and smiling widely for the first time in weeks.

OOO

Hermione felt like she could sing when she finally left the Hospital Wing at the beginning of February. Harry and Ron picked her up before breakfast and for the rest of the day Hermione's classmates and teachers welcomed her back with much enthusiasm. Her good mood continued into the month and it was on the evening of the thirteenth that Hermione could be found in her dormitory instead of the Common Room. She had been considering whether to do this for the last week. She pulled on the Get Well Card that Lockhart had sent her from her bedside table and looked at it again, smiling. Then taking a deep breathe, she opened the card embosomed with a heart in front of her and her and wrote:

_Dear Professor Lockhart,_

_Happy Valentine's Day._

_Lots of Love,_

_A secret admirer._

Hermione giggled as she put the card into an envelope – he would never know who it was from anyway. She then hurried off to the owlery to send it.

The next morning Hermione walked down with Lucy and Julie to the Great Hall as neither Ron nor Harry appeared after a few minutes of waiting. As they entered it was to find a completely changed room – all the walls were covered in beautiful large pink flowers and heart shaped confetti was falling from the ceiling. The three girls looked around and laughed then glanced towards the staff table. They all stared at Professor Lockhart who was wearing pink robes to match the decorations. He spotted them looking and gave a cheery wave and a wink. Hermione, Lucy and Julie, grabbed each other's arms, giggling madly as they sat down.

After a few minutes Ron appeared, his face taking on a look of disgust as he glanced around the Great Hall. He sat down opposite Hermione and asked.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on!"

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Hermione said with another little giggle – what had come over her? "Professor Lockhart did all this I think – isn't it wonderful!"

Ron gave her a look of deep disgust and despair before pulling bacon and sausages towards him, shaking his head.

The rest of day passed with Hermione excited mood remaining until Charms towards the end of day. It was broken by Malfoy's horrid remark at Ginny after Harry had been sung his singing Valentine. He really was a bullying slimeball. It wasn't until the next day however that Ron and Harry hurried her into a secluded corner outside and began to tell her about Harry's journey into the diary.

"And you didn't tell me until now!" She screeched angrily.

"You'd gone to bed when I went up and found Harry, what were we meant to do?" Ron asked.

Hermione huffed but listened intently to Harry's story. Her heart sunk like a stone when he revealed it was Hagrid who Riddle had caught. They all agreed they wouldn't go and talk to him unless another attack happened and as the weeks passed this seemed less and less likely. The spring term seemed to flash by for Hermione, one of the only interruptions to her comfortable weekly routine being Ron's birthday on March the first. Hermione had bought him a pair of bright orange Chudley Cannon's socks.

"They're a bit bright," She said worriedly as he opened them. "You probably won't want to wear them."

"Are you joking?" He said as he tore of his shoes and the socks he'd been wearing, stuffing his feet straight into the new ones. He grinned at Harry and Hermione who had laughed a lot. He'd looked very funny.

Spring rolled on bringing slightly warmer weather over the cold Scottish mountains. The whole school's mood grew as the time from the last attack stretched on and the mandrakes got closer to being ready. To Hermione's great surprise, the Easter holidays came upon them and as well as revision for her upcoming exams Hermione had the hard decision of choosing her subjects for next year. She poured over the lists, fretting that if she didn't choose some subjects it would limit her future career options. She wanted to give everything a go and after continuously snapping at the boys about what she should choose she signed up for everything – there would be a way she could go it. The rest of the Easter holidays and the beginning of the summer term passed quickly in a blur of revision every day. As all her homework came back with close to full marks Hermione felt a contentment that had been missing earlier in the year with all the worry of the Chamber of Secrets.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: In the early books the time between Christmas and Easter just seemed to last a couple of pages for Jo haha! I know the chapter was a bit of a 'filler' but the rest of the chapters are MUCH more exciting and I'm really proud of them! You all can guess what's going to happen next right? Please review it makes me so happy!<strong>


	10. Vivid Yellow Eyes

Dear_ Mum and Dad,_

_I've had another great week. Lessons are hard and we're getting mountains of homework but I feel like I'm keeping up very well. I'm feeling very confident about my revision and I'm definitely going to be ready by the time the exams come. The weather's getting so much better here, I've woken up very early today but the sun feels so warm through the window in the common room where I'm writing this. Harry's last Quidditch match is today, if the team win then they'll win the cup overall. He's nervous but seems pretty confident that the team will do well. I'm excited to stop revision for a few hours to watch the match; it should be a nice break._

_How are things at home? You said in your last letter you went to visit Granny and Grandpa – how are they? I can't wait to see you in June – only a couple of months now! _

_All my love,_

_Hermione x_

Hermione put down her quill and sealed the letter in an envelope. It was very early on the Saturday morning of Harry's Quidditch match and the sun was indeed streaming into the window where she sat. Slowly Hermione walked up to the owlery. She selected a school bird and stood watching out the window for a long time after it disappeared, her thoughts on spell names and history dates. After a while Hermione thought it must be late enough that people would be in the Great Hall now and she wandered down, seating herself next to Ron and opposite Harry who seemed very nervous. His dormitory had been broken into last night and Riddle's diary had been stolen. Hermione had been trying to persuade Harry to report this to a teacher but Harry was refusing because of how it proved Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets.

After Harry had managed as much of the huge breakfast Wood had put in front of him as he could the three of them left to go and collect his Quidditch things before heading down to the match. However just as all of them stepped onto the marble staircase Harry shouted out loudly. Hermione and Ron both jumped violently away from him, Hermione's heart beating fast.

"The voice!" he said loudly, turning to look at them both. "I just heard it again – didn't you?"

Realisation hit Hermione over the head like a bludger. She clapped a hand to her forehead, it all coming to her very fast.

"Harry – I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"

Hermione pushed past the boys who were gaping at her and began to sprint the familiar path to the library, trying to get her feet to move as fast as her brain was. Only Harry could hear this voice that happened just before an attack and what else could Harry do that barely anyone else could – understand snakes! Harry wasn't hearing a disembodied voice in his head, he was hearing a snake! Hermione knew there was a legendary giant snake but she couldn't remember its name or anything else about it but she could almost see the passage from a very old library book she'd checked out last year in her head as she pounded along the last corridor and into the library, not slowing her pace until she'd reached the correct shelf.

She scanned all the books about Mythical creatures frantically, spotting the huge book that was cracked and peeling in age quickly. She pulled it down and hurriedly flicked through it, going past the page and having to turn back in her eagerness.

_Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._

Hermione's head pounded with ideas as she read. The snake could live for hundreds of years so would be the same one from when the Chamber was first opened and possibly even when it had been built. Its eyes could kill but no one had died … No one had seen it directly! Justin had seen it through Nick, Colin had seen it through his camera and Mrs Norris had seen the reflection in the water. It had to look directly at you to kill you and no one had! They had seen spiders running that evening before Christmas! This was it – this was the Slytherin's monster. Harry could hear it moving about because Harry could speak Parsletonge, she had been right! But how had it been moving about without anyone seeing it, Harry had seemed to hear it from … the walls! Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a quill, scrawling her idea before she could forget it _Pipes. _It had been using the ancient Hogwarts plumbing which must lead from the Chamber into the school itself - maybe into a bathroom into… Hermione almost yelped – Moaning Myrtle's bathroom! That's why she had died there. Hermione swayed on the spot with all her realisations.

After a few seconds Hermione came to and realised she had to go and find a teacher and tell them everything this second. She ripped the page from the book and scrunched it up into her fist. It was as Hermione jogged from the shelf to the entrance to the Library that fear cleaved her insides all at once. She had been so stupid! Harry had heard the Basilisk meaning it was somewhere inside the school right now and she, a Muggle-born was alone in the castle. Hermione's breathing quickened. She almost wanted to run and hide back in the library but there could still be other people in the school – and what about when everyone came back from the Quidditch game and Hermione hadn't warned a teacher in time. She needed something to reflect to check around corners as she went. Her stomach gave a summersault – her mother had given her a pocket mirror for Christmas and it was in her bag! Hermione pulled it out, sending a silent thank you to her Mother and left the library. She walked as fast as she dared out of the room, turning round and checking every corner before she walked down a new corridor, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She had only gone two corridors when she saw an older girl up ahead, just about to turn a corner.

"No wait!" Hermione shouted.

The girl stopped and looked at her and Hermione hurried over, relief washing over her as she was the prefect badge gleaming on the girl's chest.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her brow furrowing. "Why aren't you at the match?"

"I'm going now but I've just realised something, you need to trust me and walk with me to the match!" Hermione said, grabbing the girls arm imploringly.

"OK," She said slowly "But why, what's wrong?"

"Please, just trust me; we have to look round the corners with this mirror as we go!"

The girl looked utterly bewildered and tried to pull her arm away. "What? Why?"

"PLEASE!" Hermione shouted tightening her grip. She could hear she sounded crazy but she didn't care. The girl needed to understand

"Okay," The girl said slowly, a very concerned and bewildered look on her face.

Hermione turned round and the girl followed suit and together they looked into Hermione's little pocket mirror and took a step backwards, angling it so they could see behind them. There was no time to scream, no time to think, no time to do anything as Hermione looked into the reflection of an enormous pair of vivid yellow eyes immediately around the corner, and everything stopped.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: EEEEKK there we go - the petrification chapter! I know it's very short but I didn't want to just add more for the sake of the word count. I loved writing this and I honestly think Hermione is so brave! I know it was assumed in the book that the mirror was Penelope's but I don't see why it couldn't have been Hermione's and it makes sense this way :)<strong>

**I really hope you enjoyed this and I did it justice - I know it's an important chapter. If you haven't reviewed this story yet I would really appreciate one here to see what you thought of this chapter. I love reading your reviews and it makes me want to write more! Okay enough with the begging. Hope you enjoyed and see you in a couple of days x**


	11. Dear Mr and Mrs Granger

_Dear Mr and Mrs Granger,_

_I'm sorry to inform you that earlier today Hermione was involved in an accident. She is currently in the hospital wing and although she will make a full recovery it would be best that you came to Hogwarts so I can explain the incident in person and so you can see her. I have attached the address of the nearest Muggle road to the school overleaf where I can meet you. Please send word back with this owl of what time you will approximately be arriving. _

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Professor McGonogall_

_Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

Professor McGonogall sighed and put down her quill, closing her eyes. Immediately the image of the two girls lying immobile in the corridor came into her mind. She had been finishing off some work and had lost track of the time meaning that most unlike her she was going to be late to the Quidditch game. Now she thanked all her stars that she had been kept behind, dreading to think what might have happened if the two girls had been left lying there, unfound for hours. She remembered how even from the other side of the corridor she could discern Hermione's bushy hair on the smaller of the figures and her stomach had seemed to drop out of her body. She had sent a message to Madam Pomfrey who had come running within a minute and then had sped off to stop the Quidditch game.

She looked down at the letter again, this was now the second of these letters she had written and it was desperately hard to phrase, especially since the receiver of the letters were Muggles who could not understand what had happened just from a letter. Knowing this was all she could do she sealed the envelope and walked off to the owlery.

It was late afternoon when Mrs Granger saw a shape appear in the sky through the window where she had been stood, doing the washing up. As it came steadily closer Mrs Granger started to discern the shape.

"David," She said in a quiet voice. "There's another owl coming,"

Mr Granger looked up quickly and walked to his wife's side. By now it was clear the shape was an owl and as the watched it swooped into the kitchen and landed on the table.

"But Hermione sent us a letter just this morning, and we sent a reply back a few hours ago!" Mr Granger said, a worried feeling creeping over him.

The owl was standing stock still and holding out its leg importantly. As Mr Granger reached out and took the envelope he saw that the back was sealed with the Hogwarts crest. He showed this to his wife.

"What do you think it could be?" She asked.

Mr Granger shook his head and slit open the letter; together both the Grangers leaned in and read the letter, their eyes bulging.

"Hermione!" Mrs Granger cried, tears spilling down her face as she finished reading the short message.

Mr Granger's hands shook and he re-read the letter. What sort of accident could be bad enough that they had to be summoned to the school? What had happened to their beloved daughter?

"David we have to leave, right now." said Mrs Granger, still crying and stepping away from him.

Mr Granger shook his head. "It's over a seven hour drive Susan, if we left now we'd arrive at midnight!"

"I don't care!" She shrieked, running her hands through her hair. "I need to see her."

"And I do too but if we leave now Professor McGonogall won't be there to get us when we arrive." He said, frustrated. "Look we'll leave in the night – aim to get their mid-morning."

Mrs Granger seemed annoyed but nodded tersely, sitting down and burying her head in her hands. Mr Granger quickly penned a reply saying they'd arrive around ten o'clock the next day and sent it off with the owl. He then sat down next to his wife and took her hand.

The Grangers spent a sleepless night worrying, waiting until a time they could leave. At three in the morning they packed themselves into their car and drove for seven hours, thinking of nothing but Hermione.

At seven minutes past ten in the morning the Granger's car slid to a halt at the end of a tiny, winding country road where it began to peter out into a thin lane. Mist hung in the air around them despite it being mid-morning. They switched off the engine and got out the car. It wasn't until they looked around them that they noticed the tall figure standing to their right. Her face was blurred by mist but she stepped forward until it cleared, revealing Professor McGonogall who they had met over a year ago.

"Good morning Mr and Mrs Granger," she said, offering her hand. "I'm glad you could make it here so quickly."

They shook hands and Mr Granger swiftly got to the point.

"What's happened to our daughter?"

"I will explain everything once we are inside the castle, from here it is about a half hour walk. I hope you don't mind."

The Grangers didn't seem to have any other choice than to not mind and the three of them strode off not down the country lane in front of them but across a wild and deserted field. The Grangers could discern high mountains on either side of them through the mist. The party walked in silence over many more stretches of tall, knotted grass, steadily going uphill. Finally, panting slightly, they arrived at a lane and turning a corner they saw a crumbling set of pillars with huge, rusty gates that were open slightly. Professor McGonogall took them through the gap and they continued up the road until a huge shape loomed in front of them. It was a gigantic, old castle. The Grangers could now see that many windows were broken as well as a lot of large sections out the walls. It looked as though it was crumbling to bits and could fall any moment. As they reached the huge, rotting front doors they were met by a sign with read.

_DANGER!_

_Keep Out_

When they reached the door, Professor McGonogall turned to look at them, answering the question on their bewildered faces before they asked it.

"The castle is enchanted to have a desolate appearance towards Muggles so that if anyone manages to find it they won't enter,"

The Grangers nodded, normally they would ask curios questions about this but at this moment all they could think of was Hermione somewhere inside the enormous castle. Professor McGonogall pushed open the huge doors and together the three of them stepped inside. The sight when they entered the castle made both the Grangers gasp. A huge entrance hall greeted them, bigger than the entirety of the Granger's house twice over. Opposite them was a magnificent marble staircase with a balcony at the top overlooking the floor below. They glanced behind them and saw not the rotting doors on the other side but instead a set of gleaming oak ones. Professor McGonogall stepped towards the marble staircase and the Grangers hurried to catch her up.

"So what's happened to Hermione?" Mrs Granger asked as they began to walk up the staircase.

"Hermione was attacked…"

"Attacked!" Both the Grangers yelped.

"Well that's what we're calling the incident. She's in a state called petrification. Her body is completely frozen the way it was when it happened."

"When what happened?" Mr Granger said, growing more and more confused.

"We're not exactly sure what happened at the moment. We're putting all our efforts into finding out what could have caused this. As I said she is petrified meaning she cannot sense anything that is going on around her, she cannot move. She is stuck exactly as she was when she was attacked."

The Grangers looked at each other, utterly bewildered and scared. The whole drive up they'd been imagining horrid scenes involving blood and bruises and broken bones. This they couldn't understand.

"It will become clearer when you see Hermione," Professor McGonogall said.

Seconds later they had arrived outside the hospital wing and taking a breath the Professor pushed open the tall doors. The Grangers looked around quickly and spotted Hermione, rushing hastily to her bed calling her name. When they reached the bottom of the bed however, they froze – staring at her. She was completely stationary in an odd position. One leg was slightly off the bed and her right arm was raised to eye height. Her face held a look of complete shock; her eyes wide open but glassy – completely unseeing. Mrs Granger reached out a shaking hand and touched her daughter, she was completely stiff. She then let out a sob and sat down hard on a chair next to Hermione's bed, tears pouring down her face and she stroked her daughter's hair. Mr Granger however looked up from Hermione's immobile form to look at the other beds. In the one next to Hermione's was an older, curly haired girl, next to her was a boy about Hermione's age and next to him was a tiny blonde boy. All three were also completely frozen in place, their eyes wide and scared. Mr Granger felt anger rise up in him that he had barely ever felt – unlike his wife and child he did not have a quick temper and was an extremely calm and level-headed man. But now his hands shook and his brain seemed to fuzz.

"What kind of place are you running here?" He said in a low voice, turning to Professor McGonogall.

"I'm sorry," she answered, her brow furrowing.

"I SAID WHAT KIND OF A PLACE IS THIS! Not only have you got my daughter in some ridiculous state that she will be stuck in for God knows how long but there are also four other children, INNOCENT CHILDREN, lying on beds next to her." He yelled, taking an angry step closer to the Professor. "WELL?"

"Mr Granger I would ask you to keep your voice down – this is a hospital!" She said, drawing herself up to her full height. "Now we are doing everything in our power to catch whoever did this and we are putting all our efforts into making sure that this does not happen to anybody else. All students are now being escorted around the castle and extra-curricular activities have been banned. We are all prepared for the fact that if the culprit is not caught soon the school will close."

Mr Granger took a deep breathe, some of his anger draining away. "Well what about fixing her, what are you doing about that!"

"Our Herbology teacher is currently waiting for a special plant to become mature enough. When they do our Potions master will make a restorative draught that will wake these children up. It won't be too long now until the plants are ready but until then we can only put all our efforts into keeping them safe – all visitors have been banned in case the culprit tries to come back."

Mr Granger began to feel very ashamed as he looked at the pain in the Professor's face. She herself was clearly upset and worried and he truly believed she was doing everything in her power to fix this.

"I'm sorry Professor McGonogall," he said. "That was extremely rude of me to shout at you. Please accept my apologies."

She nodded. "It's quite alright Mr Granger; I can understand you must be very upset at the moment. I will give you a minute with Hermione."

Mr Granger walked back to the bed and sat down next to his wife, taking her hand. They both looked down into the frozen face of their daughter. She looked different than when they had waved goodbye to her over six months ago. Her hair was longer, her face slightly less rounded and although it was difficult to tell he was sure she was taller. He stared into her scared face.

"Professor?" he asked, turning in his chair. "Was there a reason Hermione was attacked?"

There was a heartbeat of silence before Professor McGonogall answered. "No, the incidents have been completely random."

Mr Granger nodded and turned back to his wife. "Are you alright dear, you haven't said anything?"

Mrs Granger continued to stroke Hermione's hair, staring vacantly into her face. "I'm okay, I'm just so sad we couldn't keep her safe.

Mr Granger put an arm around his wife and she leaned into him, drawing back from Hermione.

"When did this happen exactly, we got a letter from Hermione yesterday morning, your letter only followed by five hours or so." Asked Mrs Granger

"Yesterday just before eleven. Most people were at the Quidditch field, waiting for the game to start. Hermione was found near the library – we assume she'd gone there and was late heading down to the game."

Mrs Granger gave a shaky laugh, "Sounds just like her. She wrote saying she was excited about the match, that Harry was feeling confident and that she was looking forward to a few hours break from studying. You know she'll be so angry when she wakes up that she's missed so much revision,"

Professor McGonogall smiled sadly, that did sound just like Hermione. "Are you ready to leave now or would you like some more time?" She asked gently.

Mr and Mrs Granger both shook their heads. "No I'm ready," Said Mrs Granger

Both parents leaned down and kissed their child's forehead before standing up and following Professor McGonogall out of the hospital wing. When they reached the entrance hall they could hear a great rumbling from above and below them.

"Oh, it's lunchtime, all the children will be coming," Said Professor McGonogall.

First came the Hufflepuffs led from a door off to the side by a squat witch with flyaway hair. Next the Slytherins appeared from an entrance, led by a tall man in billowing black robes with greasy hair. Many of the students from Slytherin stared at the Grangers, some even glared. Then down the marble staircase came the Gryffindors with the handsome man who'd been signing books in Flourish and Blotts leading them. The Grangers and Professor McGonogall had drawn back against a wall to avoid the stampede of students. Mr Granger's eyes scanned the crowd until relatively quickly he spotted the flaming red hair of Ron Weasley and next to him the untidy black hair of Harry Potter. As he watched Ron glanced over at them, pausing and nudging Harry in the ribs. Separating themselves from the massive crowd the boys walked over to them, looking a lot sadder than when they had last seen them. They stopped in front of the Grangers but seemed at a loss for what to say. Finally Mr Granger stepped forward to shake their hands.

"How are you boys?" He asked, stepping back and letting his wife also greet them.

"We're okay … just a bit sad about Hermione." said Harry, sighing.

"Yeah, we're really sorry … you know for you two," Ron said, looking down at his feet.

"Thank you boys," whispered Mrs Granger "We're sorry for you two as well, it must have been horrible finding out."

Both boys nodded.

"Well we'd better be going if you all have lunch," said Mr Granger, trying to smile at the boys.

They both nodded and muttered goodbye before turning away.

"We're really glad you know," Called Mrs Granger, causing the boys to look back. "That Hermione made friends with you two. So glad."

The boys looked awkward and murmured a polite reply, turning away again and walking into the Great Hall.

"We'll leave you know," Said Mrs Granger, shaking Professor McGonogall's hand.

"Will you drive straight back?" she asked, now shaking Mr Granger's hand.

"I'm sure we'll stop for some lunch when we pass somewhere but yes, we're working tomorrow so we don't have a lot of choice."

Professor McGonogall nodded and escorted them to the door.

"Will you be able to find the road by yourself or would you like me to accompany you?"

"No, no, we'll find it." Mr Granger said.

The Grangers walked out of the castle. As they turned to look back at it, it still looked nothing but desolate from the outside and once they were just a short way down the lane it seemed to disappear into a fog that although must have been thick in front of the castle, no longer lingered over any of the hills or mountains.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Tadaaa - my favourite chapter to write probably :) So from reading fanfic over the years I know quite a lot of people assumed that the Grangers didn't know Hermione was petrified. However I decided that they must have been told because any parent would go into complete panic if they stopped receiving letters from their child for months. I also thought that petrification was too difficult to explain in a letter and in OotP Montague's parents come to the school after he's injured from the vanishing cabinet so that's why I thoght they's ask the parents to come. Let me know if you agree with me or think that Hermione's parents never knew and what you thought of this chapter, it was interesting to write. x<strong>


	12. Open Your Eyes

Hermione felt her arms hit the bed with a thump. She ached all over; it wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. She wondered why, and then a memory came back to her like a bolt of lightning, a pair of huge of bulbous yellow eyes, reflected in a tiny hand mirror. She yelled out loud at sat up quickly. Her head rushed and pounded with the speed she'd risen and her vision swam in front of her.

"Miss Granger, it's all right, you're safe," said a voice as someone laid a hand on her arm.

Hermione turned to see Madam Pomfrey leaning over her. She set up a few pillows so Hermione could sit back comfortably and gently pushed her back into them.

"I was petrified?" Hermione asked, rubbing her stiff neck.

"Yes my dear," Madam Pomfrey said, pouring her some water and handing it to her. "Now drink this in very small sips."

Hermione brought the glass to her lips. Her brain felt slowed and everything was muddled but she felt like there was something important she had to do. Suddenly it came to her and she sat bolt upright again, spilling some of the water over herself.

"Madam Pomfrey where's Professor McGonogall! I have to see her – I know what the monster is!" Hermione shrieked frantically.

"Miss Granger calm down, tell me what you mean." Madam Pomfrey said, attempting to push her back into bed.

"I worked it out, it's a Basilisk! Please get Professor McGonogall or Dumbledore or someone please!" Hermione's voice grew shriller – why couldn't she understand?

Just as Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth the hospital wing doors opened and Ginny entered, accompanied by Mr and Mrs Weasley.

"Miss Weasley!" Madam Pomfrey yelled, jumping up and hurrying over to her. "You're alive! Oh thank heavens! Come and sit down … come, come"

Hermione was left alone and utterly confused. Why on earth were Mr and Mrs Weasley here and why would Ginny have been dead. Hermione turned to look in the beds beside her. Justin Finch-Fletchly, Colin Creevey and the prefect Hermione had stopped were in beds next to her, sipping water and looking slightly bewildered.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Hermione called across the room. She and the Weasley party looked at her. "Please I have to see Professor McGonogall! You're not understanding!" tears began to leak out of Hermione's eyes.

Mrs Weasley looked like she wanted to come over but Ginny was nuzzled tightly against her looking pale and terrified. "Miss Granger you've got to try to calm down, everything's going to be … Oh thank Merlin, Minerva!"

Hermione whipped her head around to see Professor McGonogall striding into the hospital wing. Hermione swung her legs out of bed.

"Professor!" she called, wiping the tears on her face.

"Miss Granger get back into bed this second!" scolded Professor McGonogall, walking over to her.

"Please Professor I know what the monster is – it's a Basilisk!" Hermione shouted.

Professor McGonogall stopped, staring at her. Hermione suddenly felt dizzy and although she didn't want to she sat back against her pillows, putting her feet back into the bed.

"How did you know?" asked Professor McGonogall, walking over to her and sitting on the edge of her bed.

"It's Harry, he's been hearing a voice all year. But Ron and I haven't been able to hear it. Then I realised Harry can speak Parseltonge so he could be hearing a snake that Ron and I couldn't understand. So I went to the library and I…" Hermione paused, looking down at her right hand. It was empty. "They solved it! They found the page in my hand! You know it's a basilisk." She yelped.

Professor McGonogall continued to look at her in amazement. Then she said "Miss Granger I want you to explain everything you know slower to me."

Hermione took a deep breathe. "I went to the library and I found out about a Basilisk. They can live for hundreds of years and can kill with their eyes. But I realised no one had looked at it directly – Mrs Norris saw a reflection, Colin saw it through his camera and Justin saw it through Nearly Headless Nick. It all fitted. Then I wondered how it was getting around the school and I remembered Harry has been hearing the voice from the walls – it had been using the pipes! I ripped the page out the book and wrote pipes on it then I knew I needed to find you so I started to go down to the Quidditch pitch but I realised that Harry had heard the voice today … that day … and that I could get attacked because I'm Muggle-born so I used this little mirror I had to look around corners. I stopped the girl I found, the prefect, and we looked round the next corner with the mirror and…" Hermione took a great shuddering breathe, tears spilling from eyes again. "But Professor did Harry and Ron find it all out, the note in my hand has gone! What's happened?"

Professor McGonogall leaned forwards and took hold of Hermione's arms, trying to calm her. "Miss Granger you have been so brave. You need to calm down. The Basilisk is dead. I let Mr Weasley and Mr Potter visit you for the first time earlier today and they must have found your note."

"It's d-dead?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"Yes, Potter and Weasley just arrived back – they went into the chamber."

"The entrance! Was it Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, I didn't write that down but I guessed but it was a bit of a wild leap…" Hermione said quickly. "Wait why did they go into to chamber, are they okay?"

"Yes the entrance was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and they're absolutely fine amazingly. They went in to save Ginny Weasley."

Hermione looked over at the little girl. Her face was still pale and traced with tear tracks. She held her mother's hand whilst she drank a mug of something steaming.

"But why would Ginny have been in the chamber?" Hermione asked quietly. "She's pure-blood."

Professor McGonogall moved slightly closer to her and lowered her voice.

"Now this is for your ears and yours only," She said softly. "I'm only telling you because you know so much already and because Mr Potter and Mr Weasley would tell you anyway. Ginny had been writing in a diary, a diary which slowly began to possess her,"

"Not Tom Riddle's diary?" Hermione asked, shocked.

Professor McGonogall stared at her. "How exactly is it that you know everything Miss Granger! I take it you didn't manage to work out who Tom Riddle is?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Tom Riddle was You-Know-Who's name when he was a pupil at this school."

Hermione's eyes grew round as galleons and her mouth opened into a little oh.

"Yes! The diary had been possessing Miss Weasley and making her open the Chamber, she didn't know she was doing this." Professor McGonogall said sadly.

"So Tom Riddle opened the Chamber originally and blamed it on Hagrid!" Hermione breathed, understanding coming to her.

"That's right. The diary made Miss Weasley go into the Chamber and when Potter and Weasley found out they used what they had learnt from the note you had to go after her. They'll tell you the full story of what happened down there I'm sure but they made it out alive and Mr Potter killed the snake."

Hermione sat back in her pillows, relief – warm and glorious – flooding over her. A few more tears leaked out of her eyes in happiness.

"So it's all over?" she asked tentatively.

"It's all over. Your parents came and saw you, the day after you were petrified by the way," Professor McGonogall said, she too sitting back slightly.

"They did? Wait how long has it been since I was petrified?" Hermione asked, her head reeling slightly again.

"It's been nearly two months. Yes I wrote to your parents and they came." Professor McGonogall said nodding. "You should probably know that your father asked whether the attack was intended or random. I told him it was completely random."

Hermione felt thankful and touched. Her parents would be so upset if they thought they were the reason she's been petrified. "Thank you," Hermione whispered.

"Not at all. Now I must go back to the Great Hall, there is a feast just starting which I'm sure you will all come and join soon." Professor McGonogall stood up and began to walk away, then she turned back around to face Hermione. "As I said, you were incredibly brave and clever to work out about the basilisk. I'll repeat what I said last year, I'm extremely proud to have you in my house."

Hermione's heart seemed to swell with pride as she watched Professor McGonogall's retreating form. She closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"Hermione?" said a voice from next to her. Hermione turned to see the curly haired prefect. "I think … I think I owe you a thank you. By the sound of what you were saying to Professor McGonogall if you handed stopped me I'd be dead. My name's Penelope by the way."

Hermione smiled and thanked her. After this Madam Pomfrey bustled over. She made all four of the students who'd been petrified and Nearly Headless Nick stand up slowly and one at a time she helped them wander around the room. At first they all stumbled slightly but after a short while Hermione could walk absolutely fine. However it took a further half an hour for Madam Pomfrey to deem them all well enough to go to the feast. Leaving Ginny and Mr and Mrs Weasley alone the group of them walked through the quiet castle towards the Great Hall, Madam Pomfrey clutching a perfectly revived Mrs Norris. All of them stood slightly nervously outside the huge doors before Madam Pomfrey pushed them open.

For a short second, silence greeted them before an explosion of clapping and cheering began. Many students began to stand up but Hermione's eyes were searching for only two people. She spotted Harry and Ron quickly as they stood up before most of the Gryffindor table, their faces alight with happiness as they clapped. Hermione didn't plan it but one second she was standing in the doorway and the next she was flying towards them, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" She sprinted up to them and threw her arms around their necks, drinking in Harry's warm bread smell and Ron's smoky, earthy smell. She had never felt so happy in her entire life and she kept repeating "You solved it!" whilst hugging them. They were alive and had worked it all out, saving Ginny and killing the Basilisk in the process. They laughed as she finally let go of them but before she could say anything else many arms enveloped her from behind. Parvati, Lavender, Lucy and Julie were all hugging her, their words of how glad they were she was okay mixing together making it difficult to understand. Then Seamus, Dean and Neville were patting her arms and rubbing her head, still whooping and cheering. All around them the friends of Colin, Justin and Penelope were also hugging and shouting.

"You did it, I'm so proud of you!" Hermione squealed as she finally sat down between Harry and Ron.

"Couldn't have done it without you though!" Harry said, loading her plate full of food for her. "You gave us all the answers with that book page."

Ron nodded along with Harry. "We're glad you're OK though!" he said, tipping peas onto both of their plates.

Hogwarts feasts were always enjoyable but Hermione had never experienced one like this. Most of the students were in the pyjamas, the food stayed at the table for hours and people ran between the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw houses to chat and hug. The atmosphere was one of high spirits which were only raised when Hagrid turned up at half past three. Hermione had no idea where he had been – she had a lot to catch up on but he gave her a rib-crushing hug before cuffing Ron and Harry hard on the shoulders and sending them both into their plates of trifle. At around four in the morning Professor Dumbledore announced the results of the house cup. To her complete joy Ron and Harry had won an incredible 200 points apiece meaning Gryffindor had won the cup by a clear mile. Hermione had hugged the boys again as the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and screams, many people leaning over to shake Harry and Ron's hands or ruffle their hair. A little while later Professor McGonogall stood up to say that all exams had been cancelled as a school treat. Hermione exclaimed 'Oh no!" out loud, she had revised so hard and had been looking forward to seeing how well she could have done. Finally to yet more cheers in a night already saturated with them Professor Dumbledore announced that Professor Lockhart would not be returning next year owing to the need to go away and get his memory back. Hermione watched as Professor Mcgonogall cheered along with many of the pupils.

"Shame," said Ron as he helped himself to a jam doughnut. "He was starting to grow on me."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? What happened to his memory?"

The boys laughed heartily. Puddings continued to appear well into the early hours of the morning and the entire hall felt like it was in a bubble of laughter and fun. All in all Hermione couldn't remember a better evening in her entire life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It's when Jo writes bits like this feast that I think I would give up everything to go to Hogwarts haha! So Hermione's awake and our story's coming to a close - just one more chapter to go! What did you think of this chapter? Did it all make sense? Please review, it's the only encouragement fanfic writers get! Love you all x<strong>


	13. Summer Goodbyes

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I'm OK. I woke up in the hospital wing yesterday and I'm feeling absolutely fine. I'm sorry you had to go through all that worry and come up to the school – you must have been so panicked when Professor McGonogall wrote to you. You're probably wondering what happened etc. well it was a giant snake that petrified me. It's called a Basilisk and I had worked out that that was what was petrifying everyone just before the Quidditch game. I was in the library working it all out and ripped a page out of a book explaining what a basilisk was and was going to find Professor Mcgonogall or Dumbledore when … well the snake found me first. You'll never guess what though! Harry and Ron killed the snake. They found the piece of paper in my hand and they went off to save Ginny Weasley who had been taken by the snake. They got her and Harry stabbed the basilisk! They've been given awards for special services to the school and earned 400 house points so Gryffindor won the house cup again!_

_Exams have been cancelled as a school treat which is a shame as I was studying so hard before but I probably wouldn't have done my best considering I missed two months of school. The weather here is incredible! I'm enjoying every break, lunch and after lessons in the sunshine with Harry and Ron. I hope you two are OK and that you weren't too worried about me. I love you so much and I'll see you in one week!_

_All my love_

_Hermione x_

Hermione finished penning the letter in the glorious sunshine she had been speaking of. She, Harry and Ron were sitting on the front steps of Hagrid's cabin, drinking cold pumpkin juice and chatting merrily. Harry and Ron had told her everything about what happened down the in the chamber earlier in the day and Hermione had felt as if her heart was bursting with pride. They had been so incredibly brave.

"So Hermione, have you gone off Lockhart now?" Ron asked, nudging her in the shoulder from behind.

Hermione laughed and nodded. She had been so shocked about what he had tried to do to the boys and that he hadn't really done any of the things he said he had in his books. He was a fraud who had changed brave people's memories to take the credit. If Hermione was quite honest with herself she realised that they hadn't actually learnt anything much at all this year in Defence Against the Dark Arts. When people said his name now her stomach didn't give a little jolt. Hermione thought sadly that she might have been quiet silly about him over the year.

The last week of term was a blur of happiness for Hermione. The school seemed to sing in relief and joy as students spent every free moment lying or running around on the grass, dripping their toes in the lake and playing games of chess and exploding snap. Ginny Weasley seemed perfectly happy, sitting with her little knot of friends and laughing with her brothers when they spoke to her. Lessons were relaxing and fun with no lead up to exams. The days were golden and stretched into cosy evenings in the common room with Hermione, Ron and Harry chatting away about mundane things and playing endless games of chess. Hermione thought she might actually be getting a little better.

All too soon trunks were packed, owls and rats were stowed in cages and the students were pilling onto the Hogwarts express. To Hermione's joy, she Ron, Harry, Ginny, Fred and George all got a compartment together and spent the journey in extremely high spirits. They played exploding snap and all whooped and screeched as Fred and George set off the last of their Fillibuster fireworks which darted and sparked around the compartment. The group of them laughed heartily when Ginny told everyone that Penelope Clearwater, the girl Hermione had stopped in the corridor, was in fact Percy's girlfriend. Fred and George looked as if all their dreams had come true.

When the train stopped Harry turned to her and Ron and scribbled his phone number of bits of parchment for each of them. "This is called a telephone number," he said to Ron, handing them each the parchment. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer, he'll know. Call me at the Durselys okay. I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to…"

"Your Aunt and Uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" Hermione asked, thinking about how incredible Harry had been these last few months. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" Said Harry as the three of them approached the barrier to the Muggle world. "Are you mad? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious…"

Ron laughed and Hermione smiled weakly (sincerely hoping Harry was exaggerating) as the three of them stepped though the wall and onto the space between platforms nine and ten in King's cross. The three of them were still laughing when Hermione heard a yelp and turned her head, her mother and father were standing near to the Weasley's and it was her mother who had squeaked when she had spotted Hermione. Hermione's heart seemed to summersault and she forgot all about the two boys next to her, sprinting to her parents, dropping her trunk and launching herself into their arms. They lifted her up in the force of their hug which normally would have embarrassed Hermione but right now she didn't care. Her mother seemed to be half laughing half crying and Hermione clutched at them tightly. She hadn't really realised how much she had missed them until right now.

Finally her parents put her down.

"You don't half know how to give us a fright Shakes," her dad said, ruffling the top of her head.

Beside them the Mr Weasley was fiercely embracing Ginny whilst Mrs Weasley fussed over the boys, complaining about how much they'd grown. Hermione turned around to see Harry walking slowly towards his Aunt and Uncle. She and Ron removed themselves from their parents and rushed over to him.

"Bye Harry!" said Hermione, giving him a brief hug.

"Yeah, bye mate," Ron thumped him on the back.

Near to them Hermione could see Harry's uncle growing more and more purple and looking like he wanted to do nothing more than walk away and leave Harry here.

"We'll call and we'll write!" Hermione said, glancing between Harry's uncle and him nervously.

"Yes and you'll come over again!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry thanked them and said goodbye, waving as he walked towards his uncle again. Then to Hermione's utter shock her father strode past her and Ron and up to Harry who had caught up with his Aunt and Uncle.

"Harry!" he called.

"You know we really haven't got all day!" Harry's Uncle said angrily, also turning to face her father.

Mr Granger ignored him completely and stuck out his hand to shake Harry's "Hermione told us that you killed that giant snake or whatever it was. I just wanted to say well done and thank you."

Harry coloured a little but shook her father's hand, muttering about how it was nothing and generally being Harry-like. Harry's uncle blustered beside him. Mr Granger gave a sharp nod to Mr Dursley and walked back over to them.

"Ron, I've got to thank you too. Well done on the … giant snake thing."

Hermione laughed as Ron shook her father's hand, his ears turning red. The three of them turned back to find Hermione's mother chattering away with Mrs Weasley. As they drew closer they heard their conversation.

"You'd never think that daughters would give you this much trouble!" Mrs Granger was saying

"Yes I was in a state when I arrived at the school, as you must have been." Mrs Weasley said "But believe me the boys are worse. I get a letter every other week complaining about Fred and George and this is the second time Ron's got himself into a dangerous mess at the end of the year. Although he always seems to come out well."

"What a nice way to talk about us mum," George piped up from behind her.

"Yeah really shows that deep love you have for … Oh!" Fred stopped in the middle of what he was saying and nudged George in the ribs, pointing towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Percy had only just walked out.

"Oh Percy!" Fred called, striding towards him.

"Brother dear!" followed George.

Mrs Weasley shook her head and said "See!" To Mrs Granger who laughed. "Well now we'll of course have Harry over again this summer so you must come too Hermione! You can stay for as long as you want, it will be towards the end and…"

"Actually Hermione can't come this summer." Her mother interrupted, putting an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"Mum!" Hermione said, slightly offended.

"Well we weren't going to tell you until we got home Shakes but we may as well tell you now…" her Dad began

"We're going to France! On holiday!" Mrs Granger squealed, grinning widely at Hermione.

"Wh-what?" Hermione said, spinning round to face them.

"Yes for three and a half weeks! We're going to rent a car and explore lots of French towns and then we're going to spend the last few days at the beach."

"We just figured we haven't seen you for so long because you didn't come home for the holidays and you've been through a lot at the end of this year. We booked it all after we got your letter saying you were OK last week." Mr Granger explained, also smiling madly.

To her utter embarrassment a few tears leaked out of Hermione's eyes.

"Oh no what's wrong dear?" asked Mrs Granger, looking worried.

"N-nothing! I'm just happy. I'm sorry I'm being stupid it's just all … a lot the last few weeks." Hermione said, hurriedly wiping her eyes – she'd cried too much recently.

Her parents embraced her again and she turned back to face the Weasley's. Mrs Weasley was beaming at her.

"Well doesn't that sound lovely! You deserve to have a great time dear; you've been through a lot this year." And to her utter shock Mrs Weasley bent down and gave her a swift hug. When she let go she spoke to Hermione's parents again. "Well it's a shame she can't visit but we'll see you in Diagon Alley again hopefully?"

The Grangers nodded and smiled then shook hands with Mr and Mrs Weasley. Whilst Hermione was watching them a hand pulled at her arm, she turned to find Ginny looking at her.

"Can I speak to you quickly?" She asked.

Hermione nodded and followed Ginny off to the side slightly.

Ginny took a deep breath. "I just wanted to … to say that …" Ginny couldn't seem to find the right words and was wringing her hands. "I'm so sorry about you getting petrified. It was all my fault and your Ron's best friend and I feel terrible!"

"Ginny!" Hermione said, shocked. "It wasn't your fault in any way!"

"But if I had…"

"Ginny listen it was You-Know-Who, the most powerful wizard in the world. I think you're amazing for trying to throw that diary away when you did. And you didn't mean to petrify me – AND I'm fine! No harm done." Hermione said, looking straight into to Ginny's warm brown eyes.

"Thank you Hermione." Ginny said and she hugged her. Hermione hugged her back tightly.

When the two walked back to the group Hermione parents had loaded her trunk onto a trolley.

"You all ready to go Shakes?" Her dad asked, ruffling her hair again. Hermione nodded and turned back to the Weasley's.

"Bye then, I'll see you at the end of summer." Hermione said to Ron.

"Yeah and have a good holiday. Bye!"

Hermione gave him a quick hug and waved at the rest of the Weasley's. Then she turned her back and walked away with her parents out of Kings Cross and into the blazing sunshine.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: TADAAAAA! That's it - we're done! The end! Wowee! (too many exclamation marks) This chapter's a bit cheesy i know but you always need a bit of cheese to finish of the HP books :) I hope you liked this and if you haven't reviewed up until this point PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! (Nooo I'm not begging) <strong>

**I don't know whether I'll carry on doing the rest of the books - I have PoA all planned out but I've been thinking of changing to one-shot format for just the rest of the 5 books because the books are getting too long to do a story. What do you think? As you already know the story so well would it be better just to have a collection of one-shots for missing moments? Tell me your thoughts please?**

**I've started a new story called Flowers and Thorns and it's all about Rose & Scorpius and one-shots of their Hogwarts life so it would mean a lot of you checked that out. It's got one chapter so far and the next should go up tomorrow!**

**And finally thank you so much to everyone who has read this story, it means a lot and I really do hope you've enjoyed it. Love you all tonnes and hope to see you soon!**

**Hannah x**


End file.
